MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/A5573227/networking.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" networking in care

Health Care Policy

 

Learning Outcome 1

 

Networking and multi-agency working in care

 

 

As human beings, we = are social creatures – we constantly ‘network’, creating links between ourselves and others on a range of different levels. The care secto= r is no different – you should already be familiar from your work experien= ce, Principles of Health Care practice and other units with the importance of interpersonal communication and the skills involved in working with others = in a care setting.

 

You and your network

 

Take a few minutes to consider how you ‘network’ with others on a day to day basis. W= hat ‘networks’ are you a member of? This might be formal groupings (e.g. HNC Health Care 1A class) or broader, less formal groupings (e.g. = 216;people from my local area, roughly the same age as me). How important is ‘networking’ to you? What do you use your ‘networks’ for?

 

 

Networking and multi-agency working in the care sector

 

In the care sector, = as in many professional sectors, individuals will find themselves becoming part of formal networks (e.g. care professionals with a shared employer) and inform= al networks (e.g. other professionals you meet through your studies, through C= PD events etc).

 

Working in small gro= ups, discuss the ways in which care professionals may use their ‘networks’ to improve their practice. Write your answers below = and be prepared to feed back to the rest of the class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multi-agency working in a care context

 

In Learning Outcome = 1, we have considered the role of different care providers from the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors. We also need to consider how these secto= rs can work together to provide ‘seamless’ care for individuals and communities.

 

Case study 1 – Jacob Goldstein=

 

Jacob is a 78 year o= ld man living in the Giffnock area of Glasgow. Until recently he had lived al= one in a detached house which he had been reluctant to leave, although the stairs = were becoming a struggle and he had sometimes had to sleep on the settee. Six we= eks ago Jacob suffered a stroke at his home – fortunately, Jacob’s = son David lives nearby and found him within a few hours. Jacob has been in the geriatric ward of a local hospital since his stroke. While he has recovered some speech, his right side remains largely paralysed and he is unable to w= alk. He can feed himself and undertake some basic tasks with difficulty, but he requires help with bathing, dressing, toileting and many other tasks.<= /o:p>

 

David is married and= has two teenage daughters. David and his wife Gillian both work full time. They have discussed the idea of Jacob living with him, but this would mean one of them having to give up work and their daughters having to share a room, and they feel that it would put too much strain on their family.

 

Since Jacob’s = fall, David and Gillian have investigated options for nursing home care in their = area and have identified a number of suitable options. They have begun preparati= ons to sell Jacob’s home, but are worried that the stress of moving into residential care may exacerbate Jacob’s health problems, and are apprehensive about raising the issue with him.

 

Questions

 

  1. Who will be involved in assessing Jacob= 217;s needs, including any financial support he may receive in meeting the c= ost of residential care?

 

  1. Who else will be involved in providing Jacob’s care during the transition from hospital to nursing home= ?

 

  1. How can Jacob contribute to decisions abou= t his care?

 

  1. Which sectors do each of these individuals work in? How can they ensure that Jacob’s transition is as smooth as possible?

 

  1. What problems may arise in situations such= as this, where a number of different agencies are involved in providing c= are?

 

Case study 2 – Jennifer McCrindle

 

Jennifer is a 14 yea= r old girl who lives with her mother and step-father in the = Drumchapel area of Glasgow. Jennifer’s mother and step-father are both intravenous drug users who= are dependent on heroin; Jennifer’s mother recently started taking heroin again following a period of mental ill health – she had previous been ‘clean’ for just over a year. While Jennifer primarily lives wi= th her mother and step-father, she also spends a considerable amount of time w= ith her maternal grandmother, who lives nearby. Jennifer has not had any contact with her father or her father’s family for several years.<= /span>

 

Jennifer’s gui= dance teacher has become increasingly concerned for Jennifer’s well-being o= ver the last six months. Jennifer is usually an outgoing and bubbly teenager – to the point where she has found herself in trouble with teachers f= or being too ‘chatty’ and disruptive – but has recently beco= me withdrawn and moody. Jennifer’s grandmother has also noticed a change= in her behaviour, and is concerned that Jennifer may be self-harming. Jennifer’s grandmother is particularly concerned as her daughter, Jennifer’s mother, began to display signs of mental illness (she suff= ers from bi-polar disorder) in her mid-teens, and Jennifer’s grandmother = is concerned that the illness may be hereditary.

 

When Jennifer’s teacher and grandmother ask her if she is OK, she replies ‘of course’ and refuses to discuss matters further, shutting herself in h= er room or disappearing ‘out’ for hours at a time.

 

Questions

 

  1. Who may be involved in assessing Jennifer’s needs, and which sectors/agencies would they come fro= m?

 

  1. What support might be offered to Jennifer’s grandmother, and which sectors would be involved?

 

  1. How can care professionals ensure that multi-agency working is effective for Jennifer? What may go wrong?