WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

Working in Partnership



[Task 1: Working in Partnership

Philosophies and Concept of Working in Partnership

The concept of working in partnership of health care and social care agencies means to provide the complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing in order to consider all aspects of people's lives. The foundation of health care and social service partnership is based on addressing the complex needs, different stages of patients' journey, and changing needs through the effective delivery of integrated services. The concept of partnership and collaboration has eliminated the boundaries which say that only health care providers and nurses can provide the care. The partnership emphasized on the teamwork across the professional boundaries where the health care providers and the social workers can jointly work in the well beings of the people (Rodgers, 2002). Incorporation of the latest technology in the field of healthcare is an important aspect and it should be made sure that the healthcare providers are taking complete advantage of this and are helping the patients in getting the right and the best quality of care which will ultimately increase the quality of their life. A number of authors have postulated the dimensions of quality, being the best known classification:

Effectiveness: The ability of a particular procedure or treatment in its actual application to obtain the objectives

Efficiency: Providing up care comparable units per unit resources used.

Accessibility: Ease with which assistance can be obtained against economic barriers, organizational, cultural, etc.

Acceptability: degree of user satisfaction regarding care (Cook, 2007).

Professional competence: professional capacity for the best use of their knowledge to provide care and user satisfaction (Berry, 1989).

There are some philosophies of partnership which hold the great importance in understanding the concept of partnership and collaboration between the different agencies which include the empowerment, power sharing, independence, joint working, autonomy, trust, eliminating boundaries, respect, making informed choices, team work, and being an ally. These philosophies indicate the shared commitment that illustrates the collaboration. The partnership requires the fundamental element of trust and respect to continue and flourish the collaboration without which no alliance can ever be successful (Higher Nationals Specification in Health and Social Care, 2010). Hence, the philosophy of power sharing is based on the concept of joint working and integration where the entities do not work separately but work jointly and their separate identities become shared identity and similarly, their separate commitments become the shared commitments.

Review of Current Legislation and Policies for Partnership Working in Health and Social Care

The health and social care bill was introduced in 2011 which was the largest legislation since the establishment of NHS. The act promotes the comprehensive health services to secure the physical and mental health of the people in England. The act also secures the continuous improvement in the quality of health care services. However, the quality standards must focus on outcomes, effectiveness, safety and patient experience. The section 4 of the act is based on the reduction of health inequalities pertinent to access and outcomes. The other section promotes the autonomy in health services, ...