Contemporary Themes in Healthcare Practice and Policy Report

This report delves into contemporary themes in healthcare, specifically focusing on health inequality and its repercussions. It examines the issues surrounding rough sleeping, the impact on service users' mental and physical health, and the contributing factors such as income disparities and lack of housing. The report analyzes the effectiveness of policies like the Rough Sleeping Strategy, the Mental Capacity Act, and the Vagrancy Act in addressing these challenges and supporting healthcare professionals in providing better care. It explores ways to meet service users' health needs through decision-making models and cost-utility analysis, emphasizing the importance of timely intervention and appropriate resource allocation. The case study of William Burn illustrates the complexities of these issues, including the challenges healthcare professionals face when service users refuse treatment. The report highlights the crucial role of policies in protecting vulnerable individuals and improving their health outcomes.

Contemporary Themes
in Healthcare Practice
and Policy

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Issues related to health inequality and ways as how it affects service users...............................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
Ways to meet service users’ health needs....................................................................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
Reflection on the research study..................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
In healthcare, practices and policies refers an appropriate way and process of identifying,
collecting, evaluating and implementing information for getting appropriate health outcomes
(DiMartino and et.al., 2018). This present study is going to show issues related to health care
inequality. It will also show all associated reasons of rough sleeping and one of the main reasons
of rough sleeping is healthcare inequality. It will also discuss impacts which health inequality
and rough sleeping has on service users as it affect their mental health and create several health
related issues. Further, it will discuss effectiveness of mental capacity act, rough sleeping
strategy and vagrancy act as all these policies and strategies allow health care professionals in
providing better treatment and supporting patients in taking better decision related to health care
services.
TASK 1
Issues related to health inequality and ways as how it affects service users
Case study: In the case of William Burn, who is 47 years old, has no known family members
found that he had been rough sleeping for the past 10 years in several locations across the
country. After referring him to mental health team it is found that he regularly drank alcohol and
also had several emergency department attendances for some health problems. After that he left
and did not co-operate team. As he did not agreed on taking treatment so, team of mental health
department took help of some policies in order to see as what they can do for protecting William
and improving his health.
Priority issues related to health inequality: In the context of sleeping rough it can be said that
it refers a person or to anyone who lives on streets and sleep there, sleep in parks or any building
as a temporary shelter (Rough Sleeping, 2016). It is also stated that all people who sleep rough
are vulnerable and are more likely to get affected from several health problems such as mental
health and drug misuse. Health inequalities like differences in distribution of health resource
between different population groups affect overall health of people. It mainly arises from social
group or condition in which people are born, work and grow. One of the main causes of health
inequality is power of wealth and unequal distribution of income. It leads to poverty and rough
sleeping.
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So, one of the main issues related to health inequality is poor health as due to unequal
income and distribution of resources affect mental health of people. Poor and lack of housing
both problems and issues lead to rough sleeping and due to rough sleeping or not sleeping at
proper place, people have to suffer many problems (Brathwaite, 2020). There are some factors
which lead to health inequality and also become reason of rough sleeping which affect mental
health include: education, income level and employment status.
Impacts of health inequality on service users: Health inequality which mainly leads to rough
sleeping or bound people to sleep in streets, in parks and any temporary place have several
negative impacts on the health of services users. In the case of William it can be said that due to
rough sleeping and health inequality, he was suffering from mental health and other health
related problems like abdominal pain (Cummins, 2018). It is also found that he regularly drank
alcohol and it is also a reason of health inequality and rough sleeping. People who sleep at
temporary places are more likely to use drugs and alcohol because they find problems in
identifying the difference between the wrong and the right and they do not have family members
who can educate them and make them aware about all these things. They are more likely to get
affected from any disease because they do not maintain hygiene and sleep anywhere and there
are several disease which occur due to lack of hygiene, lack of fresh water and airborne. Covid-
19 is one of the main examples of it as all people who are rough sleeper and affected because of
health inequalities are more likely to get affected from this.
It affects their mental health and due to this they do not trust anyone and also have fear of
something and it is the reason that they do not take proper treatment. It becomes difficult for
health care professionals to make them aware and able to participate in treatment process. So,
overall it can be said that health inequalities lead to several serious mental health and other
problems which create problems for health care professionals and societies also.
Legislation and policy: In the case of William it is found that he refused to take treatment and
housing because of rough sleeping from 10 years. It affected his mental health and due to mental
health problems when patients deny to co-operate and take treatment then they take help of some
appropriate legislations in order to find out ways of protecting such people. Some appropriate
policies which can help mental health team include:
The rough sleeping strategy (2018): It consists of government’s plan and documents which is
being mainly developed to help people who are vulnerable and sleeping rough. This policy
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allows health care and associated staff to find out appropriate ways by which they can make
rough sleepers able to stay at appropriate and permanent place for ending rough sleeping. So, by
making help of this strategy, mental health staff can help William in finding out the best place
and making him able to improve his health.
The mental capacity act (2005): This act is being designed to allow staff to protect people who
are affected mentally and helping them out in making their decision about care and treatment. It
applies to people with over 16 years so, mental health staff can identify ways of making William
aware and able to take better decision regarding treatment and care (George and Gilbert, 2018).
It also helps people with mental health to plan ahead in case in which they are not able to make
appropriate decision.
Vagrancy act (1824): It is the act that focuses on police power. As per this act, health care
professionals can take help of police power and can arrest all those people who found to be
sleeping in a public place or trying to beg for money. It is being developed to deal with
increasing number of homeless people and reducing rough sleeping because it affects their
mental health and also increases crimes in the society (Lawrence, 2017).
So, from the above discussed all problems it can be said that health inequality is one of the main
problems which is affecting society as the whole and also increasing rate of rough sleeping.
TASK 2
Ways to meet service users’ health needs
In the context of homeless people or people who sleep roughly are more likely to experience
poorer levels of general physical and mental health than the general population as general people
do not prefer to talk such people. But government is focusing of providing appropriate treatments
and for that they have developed several policies also. For providing appropriate treatments to
vulnerable people or service users, it is important to identify their needs as what they want, what
they like and others.
There are some policies or acts which can allow in making appropriate decision and satisfying
needs of services users are:
The rough sleeping strategy (2018): As per this act, staff members can work in mainly 3
steps. There are mainly 3 pillars in which at first stage, staff focuses on providing timely support
to people before becoming homeless. In second pillar and second step they set outs some ways as
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how this strategy can help people who are already in such situation and crisis. And in third step
of recovery, they support all rough sleepers in finding out new home via a new rapid housing
approach. So, by following appropriate step as per the situation of patient or people they can
protect and improve health of vulnerable people (Rough Sleeping Strategy, 2018).
Decision making: Sometimes it becomes difficult for staff or health care professionals to decide
about ways in which they can provide better treatment to people, vulnerable people and patient
with mental health. They find problems in dealing with such patients and making them aware
about importance of taking treatment and co-operating this process. But there is one of the main
policies which allow staff to take better decision in such cases. In the case of William, who is
rough sleeper and suffering from some mental health problems and denied to take treatment and
housing (Légaré and et.al., 2018). So, staff tool help of some policies in order to identify ways by
which they can keep William safe. Mental capacity act is one of the appropriate acts which can
allows staff members to help patient in making his own decision related to care and health
service. Sometimes people in this stage of mental health cannot take decision about their mental
health so, this act provides opportunity to health care professionals to help such people in making
appropriate decision and improve their health. So, they took decision to take help of some
appropriate policies for improving and keeping safe to William.
Decision making/problem solving theory: As per the theory of decision making in health care,
leaders have to focus on accomplishing a collective purpose. Transformational leadership plays
an important role in health care decision making. In this style of leadership, leader in health care
support, guide, inspires and encourage all staff to create change and take better decision
regarding health care. Cost utility analysis is an application of decision theory in which staff
and associated organizations have to take better decision related to health resource allocation. It
can help staff in reducing health inequalities which occur due to unequal health resources
distribution. It is also dependent upon measurement of social utilities for various health outcomes
so, it can be said that mental health staff can take better decision in allocating appropriate
resources for rough sleepers and improving their health (Transformational leadership, 2020).
In addition, it is also found that sometimes it becomes difficult for healthcare
professionals to take decision regarding providing treatment to patients who deny to take
participate in treatment process and co-operate staff (Furuya-Kanamori, Thalib and Barendregt,
2017). Staffs has to determine that what is wrong with the patient and recommend treatments
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accordingly, while patient has to decide whether to decide or not to take medical care. In the case
of William, mental health team has raised concerns that William’s life may be in danger if he
continues to take sleep. So, they reported a deterioration of his mental and physical health but he
continues to take health care treatment. So, they have to decide to take appropriate help and
appropriate treatment by which they can make able to William to take treatment. So, by making
use of rational decision making model, staff can improve health. In this model of decision
making, staffs has to follow some steps such as: identifying the problem, identifying the criteria
for using possible solutions, generating a list of possible alternatives and evaluating those
alternatives. In this decision model, staffs make decision about prescribing test to patients which
can provide benefits to them.
Impacts of decision making model: It can impact on the policy which staffs are going to
implement. In the case of William it is found that staff or mental health made use of some
policies and one of the best policies which can help them out in protecting William and helping
out him in improving health and making him able to take better treatment. Mental capacity act
allows staff to take better decision as per their own and making able to patient in making
decision about health and care. This rational decision making policy can impact on service and
policy implications both. This rational decision making model and making use of
transformational leadership in decision making can affect services provided to patient. IT can
increases benefits of provided treatments and suggested tests to patients because transformational
leaders in health care are self motivated as they know appropriate ways to motivated and guide
patients and staff (Taylor and et.al., 2018).
It makes them able to provide better treatment. In the case of William it can be said that
by making use of transformational leadership and rational leadership model, staff of mental
health can provide appropriate treatment to William and can also encourage him to co-operate
staff in providing and using better treatment which can help them out in improving overall health
and also reducing the rate of rough sleeping. For better decision there is requirement if having
critical analysing skill by which staff can identify needs and can take all information of patients.
When decisions are being taken in an effective manner then it improves health of patient and also
boosts confidence of staff and improves their overall performance. So, it can be said that
decision making model plays an important role in health care and in the case of William, it can
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allow staff of mental health department to protect William, improve his health and reducing
rough sleeping rate.
TASK 3
Reflection on the research study
This study on rough sleeping increased my knowledge about rough sleeping as issues
associated with it, how people face problems all factors which lead to this problem and others.
Description: I want to describe my experience and all skills, knowledge which I gain by
conducting this study on the topic of healthcare practice and policy. In the case of William, who
had been living as rough sleeper or sleep in streets, public parks. In this regard, I found that
rough sleeping is one of the main problems which is increasing to the great extent and needs to
be reduced because it affects mental health of many people. In the case of William I found that
because of rough sleeping he faces problems in identifying the difference between the right and
the wrong and that is why he denied taking better treatment. So, I can say that mental health
affects people and create problems in taking better and appropriate decision. I also found that
health policies and practices play an important role as it allows health care professional in
helping patients with mental health in taking their own decision in a better way which can
improve their health (E-portfolio, 2019). I found all other details about the rough sleeping
strategy and the mental capacity act. Both these practices are being developed for protecting
people who are vulnerable and are rough sleepers. So, I can say that health care practices play an
important role in improving health and taking better healthcare related decisions.
Feeling: I want to share my feelings which I felt while conducting this study and gathering
information related to healthcare practices and all about rough sleeping. While answering all
questions I found that health inequality is one of the main factors in healthcare which create
several problems. Health inequality or unequal distribution of health care resources among
population is increasing the rate of rough sleeping. In research I also gather information related
to policies and I found that mental capacity strategy is one of the best policies which is
applicable in such situations and can help staff of mental health department to help their patients
in making better decision and also making them able to co-operate staff in treatment process. In
addition, I also researched about rough sleeping act and Vagrancy act in which associated
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institutes work for providing better facilities to vulnerable people and those people who are
rough sleeper for long run and are facing several health related problems. In some cases where,
associated institutes find problem in making such people aware about consequences of rough
sleeping, then they can take help of Vagrancy act or police power and get them arrested.
Evaluation: I found both positive and negative sides of health inequality and all other factors. I
found that patients with mental health face several problems and staffs help them out in taking
better decisions. It is one of the main sides of this study as staff helps them and focuses on
improving their overall health. But on the other hand, society or community members treat
vulnerable people in an ineffective manner which affects their mental health.
Analysis: By conducting this study on health care and rough sleeping case I got to know
importance of leadership and management in it. The best style of leadership helps staff members
in improving their decision regarding health care services provided to them. Staff members find
problem in deciding about appropriate treatment when patient do not co-operate them and at that
time leadership and appropriate decision making model like random decision making model
solve their problem (Caley and et.al., 2017).
Conclusion: Overall it can be summarized that decision making models and health care practices
play an important role in improving health of people and providing them better treatments. It can
also be said that mentality strategy allows patients in taking better treatment and improving their
health.
Action plan: I want to focus on analysis strategy as it plays an important role in health care in
making better decision. This skill makes all of us and health care professionals able to identify
patients’ needs, their needs and analysing all information for selecting appropriate strategy for
improving their health.
CONCLUSION
From the above assignment, it can be concluded that rough sleeping has several negative
impacts on the health of people. Rough sleeping affects mental health of people and they are
more likely to experience health problems. It has also discussed importance of mental capacity
act and rough sleeping strategy which makes able to health care professionals in allowing or
helping people with mental health in taking their own decision related to care who are not able to
take better decision. It also allows them to improve their health and providing them better places
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to live and sleep. Sleeping at permanent and appropriate place has several positive impacts on the
health of people.
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REFERENCES
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Caley, L. and et.al., 2017. Reflective practice applied in a clinical oncology research
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Cummins, I., 2018. The impact of austerity on mental health service provision: A UK
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DiMartino, L.D. and et.al., 2018. The Influence of Formal and Informal Policies and Practices on
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George, M.S. and Gilbert, S., 2018. Mental Capacity Act (2005) assessments: Why everyone
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Lawrence, P., 2017. The Vagrancy Act (1824) and the persistence of pre-emptive policing in
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ONLINE
Transformational leadership. 2020. Online Available through: <
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Rough Sleeping Strategy. 2018. Online Available through: <
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/733421/Rough-Sleeping-Strategy_WEB.pdf>
Rough Sleeping. 2016. Online Available through: <
https://www.launchhousing.org.au/explainer-rough-sleeping>
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