Collaborative Working Policies Analysis

Introduction

Q1. In this assignment, I will investigate and research policy and legislation surrounding collaborative working and the positives and negatives. Collaborative working is the term used when two or more organizations, agencies or government bodies come together and share knowledge and information to obtain positive outcomes. The focus is to address specific areas or achieve certain goals for positive results. It’s how we contribute and interrelate with others to deliver a positive and well-managed service. It is person-cantered and not service cantered which was done in the past when people had to fit around a service, whereas now it’s the service that needs to fit the individual. Collaborative working can be achieved in small groups or larger groups such as health services working alongside education, social care. a smaller group can be local voluntary groups and community health. The scope of collaborative working is a way of improving and identifying the need for change where it is most needed. Over the years, interest in collaborative working has been growing, driven by the sector’s drive for effectiveness and efficiency, public opinion and government policy [www. knowhownonprofit.org] The Scottish government has recognized that more must be done to tackle health and social care and working with the NHS and local council care services, in particular, the elderly, to enable them to remain in their own homes and receiving treatment without having to go into hospital. The Scottish government will transfer £107 million from the NHS into health and social care partnership’s as well as£100million to the integrated care fund, this will allow more money to be spent in community and primary services. [www.scot.gov]

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Q2. Legislation. Public Bodies [Joint Working] [Scotland]Act 2014: This act came into effect on April 1st, 2014.The main purpose was to strengthen the roles of care workers and clinicians to deliver a service that is person-cantered and to ensure that every individual is treated with respect and dignity and improve the wellbeing of the service user. All the Partnerships will be jointly accountable to Local Authorities, Ministers, NHS Board Chairs and the public for delivering the nationally agreed outcomes set out by the act. [www.scot.gov]

Policy: Health and Wellbeing outcomes policy framework is set out to improving the quality of services that are integrated in health and social care ,ensuring that the all local authorities and local health boards have a very transparent understanding on each ones reasonability when working as part of an integrated service across Scotland and to implement positive improvements so that every individual that uses the health or care setting are given top quality service ensuring their experiences on using these services are positive ones for them and their families. There are nine outcomes that apply to integrated health and social care at present some of these are:

1. That people are able to improve their own wellbeing and health, live for longer.

2. health and social care services aim to improve the life and quality of people who use these services.

3. Health and social care services contribute to reducing health inequalities

4. People who use health and social care services have positive experiences of those services, and have their dignity respected [www.scot.gov]]

This is only half of what the government proposes to implement to integrated services in health and social care across Scotland.

In Scotland when there is a sudden death or accidental death there is usually further investigation to determine the exact cause and if the death could have been prevented in line with the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976, for the purpose of this assignment I have chosen the death of Declan Hainey

Fatal accident inquiry into the death of Declan Hainey

Declan died between 1st July 2009/31st august 2009.he was only 15months old when he was last seen alive, it was another 8 months before his body was discovered in Kimberly Hainey home march 2010 His mother Kimberly Hainey was found guilty of his murder, she was charged with murder and neglect, these charges were quashed in April 2013, and Kimberly Hainey was free. [www.bbc.uk.news]

Kimberly was known to several agencies before and after the birth of Declan, as she had a history of drug and alcohol misuse. Declan’s cause of death is unascertained. However, the prolonged neglect of Declan by his mother and sole carer Kimberley Hainey was at least a contributory factor in his death. There was no collaborative working where there should have been, there was no consistency with health visitors/social workers

Sherriff Anderson identified the following factors where the death of Declan might have been avoided

• If all agencies involved in the information gathering process pre-birth/post-birth had all information and medical records available to them, then child protection measures could have been put in place which would have resulted in close monitoring and assessment over a longer period and under closer scrutiny of social work and health visitors then the case would not have been closed without a formal inter-agency review.

• If medical information relating to Kimberly’s long history of alcohol and drug abuse and her psychiatric history had been passed to social work and health staff who had continuing responsibility for Declan, would have contributed to a more realistic assessment of the risks which existed in relation to Kimberly’s ability to care for her son. [ www.scot-judiciary.org]

Sherriff Anderson set out four factors and recommendations that are relevant to prevent a breakdown in communication and collaborative working in future, as he identified in Declan’s case

• Action to be taken when a notification of concern in relation to an unseen child is received by a social work department.
• Mandatory training of general practitioners in the guidance and protocols relating to child protection.
• Improve staffing levels in social work and health services
• The distribution of medical information to those working in cases where there are children of substance misusing parents or care. [ www.scot-judiciary.org]

Sadly, it was too late for Declan, but hopefully, lessons and recommendations set out by Sherriff Anderson will be adhered in their full capacity. There have been improvements across the health and social care sector, but sadly it was too late for some.

Q3. For collaborative working to be effective there are national and local organizations that promote collaborative working. These are the National care standards which were set up by Scottish ministers under Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001and formed the national care standards committee who had the help of several groups of people and families that used care services as well as professionals, local authorities, which resulted in the standards that were set to meet their needs, and services to create the standards and everyone working in the care setting is held accountable to.[www.gov.scot] Another national organisation promoting collaborative working is the JIT[The Joint Improvement Team] also the JIT action team who is governed by the Joint Improvement partnership board and is in partnership with NHS Scotland, the Scottish government and COSLA[Convention of Scottish Local Authorities]They provide a range of support to local care services and housing associations their mission is for continues improvement creativity, effective collaboration with a wide range of services across Scotland.[www. Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.org.uk] One local organization I have identified is a community group called FAIR [Family Action in Rogerfield &Easterhouse] who work with people of all ages and live in disadvantaged areas to bring them together and built positive relationships. They offer social, education and practical support to enhance their skills to gain employment, have healthier life’s, to achieve this they run different workshops daily to meet the needs of every individual such as SVQ classes, cooking clubs and an employability programme . These can only be achieved by the collaborative working of local businesses and health boards[fare-scotland.org] Another local organization is social work services who work with health professionals such as CAMHS, care providers, and families. These organizations are involved in collaborative working as this promotes the wellbeing and safeguarding of everyone who needs care, by identifying their needs, giving people receiving care a voice and be heard. By working together, it meets the needs of the individual and ensures the best quality of care that will fit around the individual and not the individual fitting around the service. It allows services to be able to share information that has a person-centred approach enabling a better outcome for the individual as each will have a shared knowledge and understanding of that individual. By working with all these agencies ensures that the person’s needs can be met.

Q.4.There is advantages and disadvantages when working collaboratively with other organizations. The advantages are everyone involved has one focus and that’s to deliver the best possible care requirements for every person receiving or requiring a care service. By working together, it brings together a wide selection of skills and builds teams relationships enabling everyone to work better together and having more resources available to work with that will deliver a service that allows the individual to feel empowered in the service they receive. It works with individuals with a wide range of needs whether it be physical or mental, before people would have to go to lots of different agencies to meet their support needs, now that services have come together it enables more people not to feel overwhelmed by the number of agencies they would have had to go to, to seek the right support .There can also be disadvantages such as conflicts of interest as everyone has their own agendas and policies to adhere to that may not coincide with a neighbouring organization and has financial restraints and who decides to make the final decisions as each has different values and beliefs this causing conflict amongst the employees. when delivering care regardless of your position, it’s not what’s best for us but what will empower the individual to have a fulfilling life with barriers down and given opportunities for positive outcomes, regardless of their sex, gender, culture, religion or age

Conclusion

Q.5.Doing this assignment I have learned that collaborative working is a positive approach to providing services to people that work for them and with the organisations working together and sharing information it allows if any the risks and dangers that a person may endeavour to be recognised as early as possible and allowing the relevant agencies to act on the dangers and risks if the appropriate care is not sourced to accommodate a person needs and requirements it can have a detrimental effect on that individual and others. On researching the Declan Hainey case was a prime example of why it’s important that all the agencies involved with an individual who is at risk to themselves or others, be acted on immediately. Lessons are learned by mistakes that are made, even horrific ones such as Declan Haney’s. What needs to be taken into consideration is it’s not about who has the most power and resources but to work equally to provide a service to individuals and remembering that every individual is unique and require different services to meet their specific needs. Social care has been highlighted in the media on a negative perspective showing how some social care services don’t work with other agencies and can lead to neglect and abuse to service users who may have no advocacy working on their behalf. There is also the good care settings that very rarely get the recognition in media showing how services can work together collaboratively to deliver a service with positive outcomes for everyone seeking help or advice .in the service I work with ,we work with a number of different agencies that have all the same scope to delivering a service that meets the needs of every young person we cater for, from CAHMS[Child Adolescent Mental Health Services]to local schools/colleges/dentists/skills development Scotland/drugs& alcohol workers ,this is just a few of the services that every young person has access to on a daily basis. By working together effectively we are also learning from each other enhancing our knowledge in different areas we may not have access to if there was no collaborative working.

REEFRENCE

BBC (2013) Kimberley Hainey murder conviction quashed on appeal. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22183497 (Accessed: 6 March 2017).

Connor, A., Maclennan, E. and Price, S. (eds.) (2009) Higher national certificate in social care student book. Oxford: Heinemann.

Garfinkel, J. (2016) Working together to achieve your mission – knowhow nonprofit. Available at: https://knowhownonprofit.org/organisation/collaboration/working-collaboratively/working-together-to-achieve-your-mission-ncvo# (Accessed: 20 February 2017).

Government, S., House, S.A., Road, R. (2017) The Scottish government – home page. Available at: http://www.gov.scot (Accessed: 25 February 2017).

Home (2016) Moodle. Available at: http://moodle.westcollegescotland.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2237 (Accessed: 26 February 2017).

Office, J. and Scotland (2017) Fatal accident inquiry into the death of Declan Hainey – judgments & sentences – judiciary of Scotland. Available at: http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/10/1308/Fatal-Accident-Inquiry-into-the-death-of-Declan-Hainey (Accessed: 21 February 2017).

Scotland, J. (2006a) Background – joint improvement team (JIT). Available at: http://www.jitscotland.org.uk/about-jit/background/ (Accessed: 25 February 2017).

Scotland, J. (2006b) JIT – joint improvement team. Available at: http://www.jitscotland.org.uk/ (Accessed: 25 February 2017).

User, S. (2001) Our history – Scottish social services council. Available at: http://www.sssc.uk.com/about-the-sssc/what-is-the-sssc/our-history (Accessed: 25 February 2017).

£107m for health and social care integration (no date) Available at: https://beta.gov.scot/news/107m-for-health-and-social-care-integration/ (Accessed: 20 February 2017).

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