scholarly journals Health and social care leaders’ self-rated competence and learning needs in small and medium-sized enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Mari Helena Salminen-Tuomaala ◽  
Kirsi Paavola ◽  
Paula Paussu
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Dialogic Interaction

Objective: The study is a descriptive survey based on quantitative and qualitative data. Its purpose is to describe leaders’ self-assessed competence and learning needs in small and medium-sized health and social care enterprises as part of a larger research and development project in Finland. The information produced will be used in planning a simulation-based coaching intervention. The project partners are a health technology enterprise and two educational institutions.Methods: Data were collected in late 2017 from 23 leaders of 20 enterprises using an internet-based questionnaire. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows and the qualitative data using inductive content analysis.Results: The leaders felt confident about their ability to organize day-to-day activities, but reported learning needs related to interaction and entrepreneurship. Training was required in supporting staff in challenging situations, in understanding group dynamics and in developing dialogic interaction and emotional intelligence. The leaders were interested in learning how to market their services and improve the competitiveness of their enterprise with help of digitalization and networking, and how to prepare for the reform of health and social services. Most leaders were involved in practical care work and reported a need to update their clinical skills.Conclusions: Increasing self-management contents and fostering an entrepreneurial attitude in nursing and social work curricula may provide one answer to the learning needs reported in this study. Simulation-based education can provide an effective learning environment for both students and professionals in health and social services.

scholarly journals The Use of Internet-Based Health and Care Services by Elderly People in Europe and the Importance of the Country Context: Multilevel Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Merkel ◽  
Moritz Hess
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Use Of Internet

BACKGROUND Digital health care is becoming increasingly important, but it has the risk of further increasing the digital divide, as not all individuals have the opportunity, skills, and knowledge to fully benefit from potential advantages. In particular, elderly people have less experience with the internet, and hence, they are in danger of being excluded. Knowledge on the influences of the adoption of internet-based health and care services by elderly people will help to develop and promote strategies for decreasing the digital divide. OBJECTIVE This study examined if and how elderly people are using digital services to access health and social care. Moreover, it examined what personal characteristics are associated with using these services and if there are country differences. METHODS Data for this study were obtained from the Special Eurobarometer 460 (SB 460), which collected data on Europeans’ handling of and attitudes toward digital technologies, robots, and artificial intelligence, including data on the use of internet-based health and social care services, among 27,901 EU citizens aged 15 years or older. Multilevel logistic regression models were adopted to analyze the association of using the internet for health and social care services with several individual and country-level variables. RESULTS At the individual level, young age, high education, high social class, and living in an urban area were positively associated with a high probability of using internet-based health and social services. At the country level, the proportion of elderly people who participated in any training activity within the last month was positively associated with the proportion of elderly people using these services. CONCLUSIONS The probability of using internet-based health and social services and their accompanying advantages strongly depend on the socioeconomic background. Training and educational programs might be helpful to mitigate these differences.

scholarly journals Inter-agency adult support and protection practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundari Joseph ◽  
Susan Klein ◽  
Samantha McCluskey ◽  
Penny Woolnough ◽  
Lesley Diack
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Realistic Evaluation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Adult Support

Purpose Collaborative inter-agency working is of paramount importance for the public protection agenda worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the findings from a research study on the inter-agency working within adult support and protection (ASP) roles in the police, health and social care. Design/methodology/approach This realistic evaluation study with two inter-related phases was funded by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research. This paper reports on Phase 1 which identified existing gaps in the implementation of effective inter-agency practice by reviewing the “state of play” in inter-agency collaboration between the police and health and social care professionals. In total, 13 focus groups comprising representatives from Police Scotland (n=52), Social Care (n=31) and Health (n=18), engaged in single profession and mixed profession groups addressing issues including referral and information exchange. Findings On analysing context-mechanism-outcome (CMO), gaps in joint working were identified and attributed to the professionals’ own understanding of inter-agency working and the expectations of partner agencies. It recommended the need for further research and inter-agency training on public protection. Research limitations/implications This unique Scottish study successfully identified the inter-agency practices of health, social services and police. By means of a modified realistic evaluation approach, it provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges that professionals face on a day-to-day basis when safeguarding adults and informed strategic recommendations to overcome the barriers to good practices in organisational working. The methods used to determine CMO could benefit other researchers to develop studies exploring the complexities of multi-causal effects of cross-boundary working. The use of the same case study in each focus group helped to neutralise bias. However, the voluntary nature of participation could have resulted in biased perceptions. The limited numbers of health professionals may have resulted in less representation of health sector views. Practical implications This paper reports on a Scottish study that focused on the coordinated and integrated practices amongst the police, health and social services’ professionals who support and protect adult members of society at risk of harm and has implications for their practice. Social implications Whilst the focus of this study has been on ASP, the conclusions and recommendations are transferable to public protection issues in many other contexts. Originality/value Studies on the joint-working practices amongst police and health and social services’ professionals who support and protect adult members of society at risk of harm are uncommon. This study investigated professionals’ perceptions of gaps and concerns pertaining to integrated working by means of a realistic evaluation approach. It recommended the need for further research and inter-agency training on public protection.

scholarly journals Health and social welfare professionals’ self-rated competence and feedback following a simulation-based coaching intervention in small and medium-sized enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Mari Helena Salminen-Tuomaala ◽  
Elina Kangasluoma ◽  
Kirsi Paavola ◽  
Sami Perälä ◽  
Sirke Uitto
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Great Majority ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Electronic Learning ◽  
Coaching Intervention ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Social Fund

Objective: To examine how health and social welfare professionals in small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) rated their theoretical, practical, and interaction competencies following simulation-based coaching, and to collect feedback for the coaching intervention.Methods: This quantitative survey is part of a wider research and development project conducted in Finland in the years 2017-2019 with assistance from the European Social Fund and carried out in collaboration between two educational institutions. Respondents were 107 nurses and other health and social care professionals in 20 SMEs. Data collection took place using an online questionnaire in May 2019. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows 25.Results: The great majority of the participants were satisfied with the coaching intervention. Respondents rated their theoretical, practical, and interaction competencies as good. They also felt confident about their skills in learning, problem-solving, and action-based learning. Among the most salient learning needs were the use of digital tools, social media, and electronic learning environments, and the need to practice remote counseling.Conclusions: The results indicate a need to provide continuing education on information and communication technology for health and social welfare professionals in small and medium-sized companies.

Case definition for health and social care services integrated initiatives

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 264-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu Mee Cheng ◽  
Cristina Catallo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Case Definition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Care Integration ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Integrated Health

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a case definition of integrated health and social services initiatives that serve older adults, and will provide characteristics to aid in the identification of such initiatives. The case definition is intended to ease the identification of integrated health and social care initiatives. Design/methodology/approach A limited search was undertaken of both scientific and gray literature that documented and/or examined integrated health and social services initiatives. In addition, literature on well-documented and generally accepted integrated healthcare and social services models that reflect collaborations from healthcare and social services organizations that support older adults was also used to develop the case definition. Findings The case definition is as follows: healthcare organizations from across the continuum of care working together with social services organizations, so that services are complementary and coordinated in a seamless and unified system, with care continuity for the patient/client in order to achieve desired health outcomes within a holistic perspective; the initiatives comprise at least one healthcare organization and one social care organization; and these initiatives possess 18 characteristics, grouped under 9 themes: patient care approach; program goals; measurement; service and care quality; accountability and responsibility; information sharing; culture; leadership; and staff and professional interaction. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study is that the characteristics are based on a limited literature search. The quality of some of the literature both gray and published was not definitive: information on how they undertook the literature search was not provided; exclusion and inclusion criteria were not included; and there was insufficient detail on the design of the studies included. Furthermore, the literature reviews are based on integrated initiatives that target both seniors and non-senior’s based services. The cross-section of initiatives studied is also different in scale and type, and these differences were not explored. Practical implications The case definition is a useful tool in aiding to further the understanding of integrated health and social care initiatives. The number of definitions that exist for integrated health and social care initiatives can make it confusing to clearly understand this field and topic. The characteristics identified can assist in providing greater clarity and understanding on health and social care integration. Originality/value This study provides greater coherence in the literature on health and social care integration. It aids in better framing the phenomenon of healthcare and social services integration, thereby enhancing understanding. Finally, the study provides a very useful and concrete list of identifying characteristics, to aid in identifying integrated health and social care initiatives that serve older adults.

scholarly journals Between three chairs: Experiences of being a patient with chronic widespread pain in an intersectoral setting in Denmark

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 205510291985250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rikke Schultz ◽  
Marius Brostrøm Kousgaard ◽  
Peter la Cour ◽  
Annette Sofie Davidsen
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Chronic Widespread Pain ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Widespread Pain ◽  
Sufficient Time ◽  
Pain Experience ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Health And Social Care

This study explores how patients with chronic widespread pain experience their contacts with health and social services in Denmark, including general practice, hospitals, and municipality job centers. We analyzed interviews with 10 patients using interpretative phenomenological analysis and found the following four superordinate themes: meeting different attitudes, fragmentation of treatment, the importance of time, and feeling trapped. Findings show that when patients do not feel understood by professionals, they can resort to withdrawal strategies. On an organizational level, patients said that they needed sufficient time in meetings and better coordination of interventions in and between the health and social care sectors.

Asian Older People: Housing, Health and Access to Services

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
WAQAR I. U. AHMAD ◽  
REG WALKER
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Welfare Benefits ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Inadequate Housing ◽  
Low Levels

We report the findings of a survey of 104 Asian older people in Bradford. For a high proportion, their condition was characterised by poverty, limited entitlements, inadequate housing, low levels of knowledge of health and social services, and problems of access to welfare benefits, health and social care. The situation of women was of particular concern. The study also highlights the problems of divided families, caused by restrictive immigration rules, resulting in many elderly people having no family support in this country.

scholarly journals The Use of Internet-Based Health and Care Services by Elderly People in Europe and the Importance of the Country Context: Multilevel Study

JMIR Aging ◽  
10.2196/15491 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e15491
Author(s):  
Sebastian Merkel ◽  
Moritz Hess
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Use Of Internet

Background Digital health care is becoming increasingly important, but it has the risk of further increasing the digital divide, as not all individuals have the opportunity, skills, and knowledge to fully benefit from potential advantages. In particular, elderly people have less experience with the internet, and hence, they are in danger of being excluded. Knowledge on the influences of the adoption of internet-based health and care services by elderly people will help to develop and promote strategies for decreasing the digital divide. Objective This study examined if and how elderly people are using digital services to access health and social care. Moreover, it examined what personal characteristics are associated with using these services and if there are country differences. Methods Data for this study were obtained from the Special Eurobarometer 460 (SB 460), which collected data on Europeans’ handling of and attitudes toward digital technologies, robots, and artificial intelligence, including data on the use of internet-based health and social care services, among 27,901 EU citizens aged 15 years or older. Multilevel logistic regression models were adopted to analyze the association of using the internet for health and social care services with several individual and country-level variables. Results At the individual level, young age, high education, high social class, and living in an urban area were positively associated with a high probability of using internet-based health and social services. At the country level, the proportion of elderly people who participated in any training activity within the last month was positively associated with the proportion of elderly people using these services. Conclusions The probability of using internet-based health and social services and their accompanying advantages strongly depend on the socioeconomic background. Training and educational programs might be helpful to mitigate these differences.

scholarly journals Exploiting Administrative Data to Understand the Mental Health of Children Known to Social Services

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah McKenna ◽  
Aideen Maguire ◽  
Dermot O'Reilly
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Children In Care ◽  
Care System

Background Research has consistently found a high prevalence of mental ill-health among children in out-of-home care. However, results have varied significantly by study location, type of care intervention, sample population and mental health measurement, and concerns have been raised about appropriate reference populations. In addition, little is known about children known to social services who remain with their birth families. Aim To examine mental ill-health amongst children known to social services based on care exposure including those who remain at home, those placed in foster care, kinship care or institutional care and the general population not known to social services. Methods Northern Ireland is unique in that has an integrated health and social care system and holds data centrally on all children known to social services. Social services data (1995-2015) will be linked to hospital discharge data (2010-2015), prescribed medication data (2010-2015), self-harm data (2010-2015) and death records (2010-2015) to investigate mental health outcomes in terms of psychiatric hospital admissions, psychotropic medication uptake, self-harm and suicide. Results Data cleaning has been completed and analysis is underway. Preliminary results will be available by December 2019. Descriptive statistics will provide a mental health profile of children in care compared not only to children in the general population but to those who are known to social services but remain in their own home. Regression models will determine which factors are most associated with poor mental health outcomes. Conclusion This project is the UK’s first population-wide data linkage study examining the mental health of children in the social care system, including looked-after children and those known to social services who remain in their own home. Project partners in the Department of Health recognise the potential of these findings to inform future policy relating to targeting interventions for children in receipt of social care services.

Collaborating across health and social care: joint funding an adult protection Coordinator post in Caerphilly, UK

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-147
Author(s):  
Andrea Giordano ◽  
Alison Neville
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Health Board ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Abuse And Neglect ◽  
Vulnerable Adults ◽  
Adult Protection

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to improve the consistency and quality of the response to vulnerable adults who experience abuse and neglect within NHS, independent healthcare and social care settings is noted by practitioners, agencies and patients. Health and social care policy frameworks promote principles of service improvement and consistency, along with a focus on outcomes and resource effectiveness and interagency collaboration. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) coordinator role carries the responsibility of coordinating a response to individual referrals of abuse and neglect as described as part of the Designated Lead Manager role in the Wales Interim POVA Policy and Procedures for the POVA from abuse (Wales Adult Protection Coordinators Group, 2013). Design/methodology/approach – This paper will explore the benefits realised through a registered nurse being seconded from the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board into a newly created joint adult protection Health Coordinator post within the Caerphilly County Borough Council social services department POVA team. Findings – This is the first example of such partnership working in adult protection in Wales and has provided a number of benefits in relation to: providing adult protection advice; coordinating the response to referrals of vulnerable adult abuse and neglect within health and social care settings; carrying out or buddying others to complete adult protection investigations; facilitating the two day non-criminal POVA investigation training course and, awareness raising within the local Health Board. The development of a student nurse placement in the social services POVA team cements the multiagency collaborative approach that this development sought to achieve. Originality/value – The need to improve the consistency and quality of the response to vulnerable adults who experience abuse and neglect within NHS, independent healthcare and social care settings is noted by practitioners, agencies and patients.

scholarly journals The simulation coaching concept - A step towards expertise

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Mari Salminen-Tuomaala ◽  
Jaakko Hallila ◽  
Asta Niinimäki ◽  
Paula Paussu
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Professional Competence ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Healthcare Staff ◽  
Learning Skills ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Coaching Intervention ◽  
Simulation Based

Background and objective: This paper presents a sub-study of an ongoing research and development project (August 1, 2017-December 31, 2019), whose aim has been to use simulation-based coaching to meet social and healthcare staff’s self-reported learning needs in 20 small and medium-sized enterprises in Finland. Two regional educational institutions are responsible for the management of the project. The study aim was to examine the development of self-rated professional competence and expertise of social and healthcare staff, following a simulation coaching project.Methods: An electronic questionnaire was used to collect information about participants’ self-rated expertise, first in November 2017 and again in May 2019 following the simulation-based coaching intervention. IBM SPSS for Windows 25 was used to analyse the data.Results: The respondents appreciated simulation coaching as an effective way of developing expertise and the continuous learning skills of professionals. In this project, coaching was considered to be especially suitable for theoretical and practical management of acute situations; for keeping up with change in society; for anticipating development needs, and for promoting the attractiveness and competitiveness of the company where they worked.Conclusions: The simulation coaching concept, which involves action-based and concrete ways of developing theoretical and practical competence, is well suited for social and healthcare professionals undertaking continuing education. Using the companies’ own facilities facilitates participation and application of new knowledge and skills.

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