Empowering Users of Health and Social Care Services

ASSIGNMENT
UNIT 9: EMPOWERING USERS OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL
CARE SERVICES (L4)
STUDENT NAME:
STUDENT ID:
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1 LO1: Comprehend how the structure and review of the services helps in promoting and
maximizing the rights of the health and service users.....................................................................3
1.1 Explanation on the role of legislations and standards on policies of organizations in health
sector for promotion and maximization of the rights of the users’..................................................3
1.2 Analysis of the factors promoting and maximizing the rights of health service users..............4
1.3 Role of communication between care service provider and receiver that contributes in the
promotion and maximization of the rights of care service users.....................................................6
Task 2: LO2: Recognition of the factors that promotes the involvement and freedom of the health
care users.........................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Explanation on the factors that affect vulnerable individuals and contribute towards social
exclusion, loss of independence and non-participation...................................................................8
2.2 Analysis of the processes and systems implemented in organizations to increase
independence and promote participation of the health service users..............................................9
2.3 Analysis of the conflict that arises while balancing the rights of service users in relation to
independence and execution of the duty of service providers.......................................................10
Task 3: LO3: Identification of the responsibility towards managing, organizing and monitoring
the risks involved in the health and social care framework...........................................................11
3.1 Identification of the risk of harm posed to individuals within the health services framework11
3.2 Analysis of the effectiveness and efficiency of various managerial approaches, policies and
procedures in managing the risks within the health and care units...............................................11
Task 4: LO4: Understanding how effective practices in the field of medicine is important for the
health service users’.......................................................................................................................14
4.1 Legislation, code of practice and policy related to the handling of medication......................14
4.2 Effect of policy and procedures in health and social care.......................................................14
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................14
Reference list.................................................................................................................................16
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Introduction
Over the years, the facilities provided through health and social care units have developed on a
wide range covering various aspects. In consideration of the multiple aspects, one such important
factor is ‘empowerment of the users of health and social care facilities’. The empowerment
factor has been observed as an inseparable part or component influencing the health services
provided by the service providers in this sector. In addition, multiple legislations, laws and
guidelines have been framed in order to ensure that the rights of the health service users are not
affected in the process of receiving the health services and facilities from the providers.
Through this assignment, a comprehensive research work is proposed to be presented covering
various aspects that have influenced in empowering the users of the health facilities. In addition,
the rights of the users’, communication strategies implemented, factors vulnerable individuals in
the health and social care framework and the risk of damage among the users have been analyzed
in order to draw an appropriate conclusion. Various managerial policies and approaches used to
mitigate the risks faced by social and health care units are assessed to evaluate its effectiveness
for administering the overall health and social care framework.
Task 1 LO1: Comprehend how the structure and review of the services helps
in promoting and maximizing the rights of the health and service users
1.1 Explanation on the role of legislations and standards on policies of
organizations in health sector for promotion and maximization of the rights of
the users’
According to Aveyard (2014, p.210) it has been stated that the policies and strategies adopted by
the organizations functioning in the healthcare sector have often been influenced by the
legislations and the standards framed out by the government and other regulatory bodies in the
country. The ultimate impact of formulating regulations and legislations for the healthcare sector
has been felt on the encouragement and maximization of the rights of service receivers. Multiple
legislations, acts, laws and rules such as ‘Equality Act 2010, Care Act 2014, Disability
Discrimination Act 2015 and the Code of Practice for Social care workers’ have been framed out
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in order to determine the responsibility and task assigned to the care service providers with the
aim of nurturing the empowerment issues of the health service users (Bennett, 2010, p.225).
Through the ‘Equality Act, 2010’ protection against discrimination and harassment of the
disabled people is ensured. Further, this act provides protection to the dignity of the people
receiving care facilities and against unfair treatment meted out to the service receiver by the
health workers. With the establishment of the ‘Care Act, 2014’ an evaluation is carried out by the
local authorities in order to assess the care needs of the people and provide the individual with
state funding. Through the ‘Code of Conduct’ set out for the social care and support workers in
the United Kingdom the individuals are expected to follow and maintain it while performing
their job. The ‘Code of Conduct’ requires the support and care workers to provide
compassionate, safe and high quality care facilities to the users and the type of behaviour the
users’ can rightly expect from the service providers (Care Quality Commission, 2012, p.220).
Taking into consideration the laws, rules and guidelines set out in the acts and the code of
conduct the health organizations are required and expected to formulate their policies so it helps
in promoting, upholding and maximizing the rights of the health service users across the country.
In the current scenario, Jane Smith is recommended protection under the various legislations
discussed above. Further, it is suggested that the care worker at Tower Hamlet Care Home
should be acquainted with the ‘Code of conduct’ for their job in order to ensure that the services
provided by the care workers do not affect the rights of the service users.
1.2 Analysis of the factors promoting and maximizing the rights of health
service users
Through research studies it has been observed that numerous factors over the years have
contributed in affecting the rights of the service users which is enumerated henceforth.
 Communication issues: According to Reeves et al. (2011, p.227) one of the most
important and crucial factor that influences the rights of the health service users have
been perceived as ‘communication’. Inability to communicate the appropriate
requirements of the users to the service providers often results in a gap that affects the
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