Unit 5 Working in Partnership Assignment

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Assignment

Purpose of this assessment

This Unit 5 Working in Partnership Assignment aims to enable learners to develop understanding of the importance of working positively in partnership with others in health and social care

Case Study

Mid Staffordshire National Health Foundation Trust; Victoria Climbed:

A number of factors have contributed to the need for recent Governments to drive a “partnership working” or “integrated care” agenda regarding health and social care services in the UK. Such factors include increasing economic constraints, a rapidly aging population, and increasing awareness and demands of other vulnerable groups such as children with long term and complex conditions, individuals with multiple co-morbidities, and those with other complex physical and mental health needs or terminal conditions.Governments have recognised that individuals and their families have often become stuck in different parts of a fragmented system which may result in delays or inaccuracies in the diagnosis of illness, a failure to identify risks or intervene early on, or poorly informed “professional” decisions (or non-decisions) that have resulted in poor health outcomes, tragic consequences or unnecessary costs for the health and social care system (e.g. repeated consultations due to a lack of effective inter-professional information sharing).
In recent years there have been many cases brought to public attention, namely Stafford Hospital, which was run by Mid-Staffordshire NHS Hospital Trust where it was estimated that 1,200 patients needlessly died between2005-2009; and such cases as Victoria Climbié who was murdered by her guardians. The deaths of patientsat the Stafford Hospital, and cases like Victoria Climbié,were the result of appalling failures in partnership working between professionals, agencies and organisations in the wider UK health and social care system. Cases such as these necessitated various reports.
The Healthcare Commission(HCC), the then NHS care regulator was alerted by the “high mortality rates in patients admitted as emergencies” at Stafford Hospital. However, because the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust neglected to provide a satisfactory explanation, an investigation was initiated in 2008. Afterwards the health watchdog found that care at the hospital was “appalling.” Furthermore, they reported that "inadequately trained staff was too few in number, junior doctors were left alone at night and patients left without food, drink or medication as their operations were repeatedly cancelled. Receptionists with no medical training were expected to assess patients coming in to A&E, some of whom needed urgent care." These findings brought Stafford Hospital’s failures into the public domain, and as such prompted further investigation.

In June 2010 the Government instigated a public enquiry chaired by Francis, QC into the shortcomings of the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. In short, the scandalous conditions that prevailed at Stafford Hospital wereseen as the worst case of neglect in the whole of the NHS’ history It gained Foundation Trust status in 2008.

Task 1 : Be able to understand how principles of support are implemented in health and social care

1.1 Explain the philosophy of working in partnership in health and social care
1.2 Evaluate partnership relationships within health and social care services

Task 2: Be able to understand how to promote positive partnership working with users of services, professionals and organisations in health and social services

2.1Analyse models of partnership working across the health and social care sector
2.2Review current legislation and organisational practices and policies for partnership working inhealth and social care
2.3 Explain how differences in working practices and policies affect collaborative working

Task 3: Be able to evaluate the outcomes of partnership working for users of services, professionals and organisations in health and social care services

3.1 Evaluate possible outcomes of partnership working for users of services, professionals andorganisations
3.2 nalyse the potential barriers to partnership working in health and social care services
3.3 Devise strategies to improve outcomes for partnership working in health and social care services

The Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection, also known as the Healthcare Commission was created in 2004. It was responsible for assessing standards of care provided by the NHS. Its responsibilities were taken over by the Care Quality Commission in 2009.

Task 1	Understand partnership philosophies and relationships in health and social care services Partnership philosophies: empowerment; independence; autonomy; respect; power sharing; making informed choices Partnership relationships: with users of services e.g. children, elderly, young people in care, people with disabilities, people with learning difficulties, people with mental health issues, patients, refugees, asylum seekers; with professional groups e.g. social workers, health workers, educationalists, therapists, support workers; with organisations e.g. statutory, voluntary, private, independent, charitable, community forums
Task 2	Understand how to promote positive partnership working with users of services, professionals and organisations in health and social care services Positive partnership working: empowerment; theories of collaborative working; informed decision making; information sharing; confidentiality; professional roles and responsibilities; models of working e.g. unified, coordinated, coalition and hybrid models; management structures; communication methods; current inter-disciplinary and inter-agency working e.g. Multi-Area Agreements (MAA), Local Area Agreements (LAA); joint working agreements Legislation affecting partnership working: current and relevant legislation e.g. relating to health, social care, safeguarding children and young people, mental health, disability, data protection, diversity, equality and inclusion Organisational practices and policies: current and relevant practices; agreed ways of working; statutory, voluntary and private agency practices; local, regional and national policy documents produced by e.g. government departments, specialists units, voluntary agencies; risk assessment procedures; employment practices; service planning procedures
Task 3	Be able to evaluate the outcomes of partnership working for users of services, professionals and organisations in health and social care services Outcomes for users of services: positive outcomes e.g. improved services, empowerment, autonomy, informed decision making; negative outcomes e.g. neglect, abuse, harm, anger, miscommunication, information overload, confusion, frustration, duplication of service provision, disempowerment Outcomes for professionals: positive outcomes e.g. coordinated service provision, professional approach, clear roles and responsibilities, organised communication, avoidance of duplication, preventing mistakes, efficient use of resources; negative outcomes e.g. professional rivalry, miscommunication, time wasting, mismanagement of funding Outcomes for organisations: positive outcomes e.g. coherent approach, shared principles, comprehensive service provision, common working practices, integrated services; negative outcomes e.g. communication breakdown, disjointed service provision, increased costs, loss of shared purpose Barriers to partnership working: lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities; negative attitudes; lack of communication, not sharing information; different priorities; different attitudes and values Strategies to improve outcomes: communication, information sharing; consultation; negotiation; models of empowerment; collective multi-agency working; dealing with conflict; stakeholder analysis