Challenges Faced by Social Workers in Adult Mental Health Services

This article discusses the challenges faced by social workers in providing care to adults with mental health issues. It explores the role of social workers in promoting the well-being principle and protecting vulnerable individuals. The article also highlights the importance of the Care Act, 2014 in providing protection and prevention for vulnerable adults.

Social Work Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Social work professionals should respond to the ‘well-being principle’ within their working
practice...................................................................................................................................1
Challenges social workers face in adult mental health services.............................................6
. CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Social work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and
communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. It supports and provides help
to individuals so that they can develop their skills and abilities and make use of the resources
adequately in order to find solution to the problem. A social worker is a person who provides
protection to individuals who are vulnerable; they are engaged in solving problems of people
which they are facing in everyday life. These types of workers are also involved in giving the
clinical support. They identify the mental, emotional and physical problem which has been faced
by individuals. Social workers can also engage in providing support in monetary terms to those
who are in need.
Present report will lay emphasis on social work professionals should respond to the ‘well-
being principle’ within their working practice. The report is based on real life scenario of the
role of the social worker in Adult mental Health services. This scenario is based on well being
principle. Report will also lay emphasis on the Care Act, 2014 (Ferguson, 2016). It is based on
the principles of protection, prevention and proportionality. This act basically lay emphasis on
providing protection to individuals who are vulnerable and also prevent the various types of
diseases which is being faced by them. Study will also provide details about the challenges
which have been faced by social workers in providing care to patients suffering from problem of
mental health.
MAIN BODY
Social work professionals should respond to the ‘well-being principle’ within their working
practice
Scenario: The social workers in National Health Service organization are engaged in
working with other health care professionals, nurses and midwives in order to protect and
safeguard the life of service users who are going through severe mental health disease such as
anxiety, depression, and brain damage. They are fully involved in behaving ethically so that the
health outcome of patients can be improvised.
The care act, 2014 lay emphasis on protecting the vulnerable adults and preventing them
from mistreatment so that their quality of life improvises. The social care worker needs to be
engaged in analyzing the wants and demands of these vulnerable adults in order to improvise
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their health outcome. They define how important it is to involve a service user in the process of
assessing their safeguarding needs (Kazi, 2019). It has been analyzed that National Health
Service has recognize the essential role of social worker to promote and enhance the quality of
life of patients suffering from severe mental health diseases. It has been analyzed that social
workers are providing services to mental health patients and giving their full time support during
the time of need. They are engaged in following the well-being principles which is prevention,
protection and prosperity according to care act, 2014. This has assisted them in enhancing the
quality of life of people who are being suffering from mental health problems. It has been
analyzed that good quality of social work can transform the lives of people suffering from mental
health issues. It has been analyzed that social worker in NHS is been working with
multidisciplinary team to save vulnerable adults. They are also engaged in identifying and
analyzing the local services in order to meet out the needs and demands of people. There is no
motive of profit engaged in their work. Social workers are involved in reducing the risk that can
be faced by mental health adult’s patients and also decreasing the risk related to costly demand
on acute health services (Shea, 2016). It has been analyzed that in providing care to vulnerable
adults, there are various challenges and opportunities that can be faced by social workers. The
well-being principles on which social workers of National Health Service are working upon
includes the following measures.
They are involved in allowing individuals to analyze the statutory social care and social
work services and suggest them to make use of these services so that their health outcome can be
improved. Social workers in National Health Service organization are also involved in
discharging the duties which are legal and enhancing the social care that is personal related to
local authority (Ciocănel and et.al., 2018). Social workers make sure that they are engaged in
promoting the recovery aspects of adults suffering from mental health problems and also provide
support to their family members and friends. They are also engaged in analyzing the needs and
demands of patients so that their quality of life improvises. Social workers are making use of
various evidence based interventions so that personalized social care can be provided.
This will help individuals in enhancing their health outcome. Social workers are also
involved in evaluating and providing professional leadership so that they can analyze the
challenges because of which the ratio related to mental health illness is being increasing. Social
workers in National Health Service organization is been engaged in imposing skills in situations
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in which patients are facing high level of social, family and interpersonal complexity. They have
been facing risk and ambiguity. It has been analyzed that main aim or social worker is to analyze
the needs and demands of patients so that acute and quality of care can be provided to them. This
also assists them in solving problems that has been faced by service users. It will help them in
growing and improvising their quality of life. Social workers are also engaged in working with
local communities so that they can bring out innovative changes which can support health care
professionals in improvising the health outcome of mental health patients. It will also provide
support to community capacity, personal and family resilience, earlier intervention and active
citizenship. Social workers who are been engaged in delivering the mental health services are
being funded by local authorities.
The role and responsibility are clear and these people are been engaged in providing
support to patients. They are working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary team of health care
professionals so that they can act as support system and provide quality of care to mental health
adults. Social workers are been engaged in making use of their professional skills to provide
support to local communities and citizens in difficult situation that has been faced by them. They
are also engaged in making use of cognitive behavioral theory. This theory assists them in
analysis the factors relating to development of mental health problem. They make sure that
human right of every individual is being protected, self-determination is being promoted and
social workers also make sure that solution to problems of individuals as well as of service users
are being provided by them. The department of health has also laid emphasis on the future of
social work in adult social services.
It includes that social workers will be engaged in enhancing their relationship and will also
support in empowering families and communities. They are being engaged in analyzing the
needs and demands of people, as this would help them in improvising the quality of health of
vulnerable adults. Social workers in National health service organization is also been engaged in
solving out the conflict which is being faced by organization and providing support to mental
health service users at the risk of their own. According to care act, 2014 it has been analyzed that
well-being principles related to social workers also includes making use of ethics and code of
conduct so that they can make sure that human right of service users is not being hampered. They
are also working in prosperity to prevent individuals from the various types of health related
problems.
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It has also been analyzed that social workers in National Health Service are been applying
their legal and practical knowledge so that they can assess and evaluate the practical support and
services that is being provided by them (Congress, 2017). They are also engaged in working with
various other care workers so that social workers in NHS can be involved in achieving the best
outcome. Social work brings a distinctive social perspective to mental health. It has been
analyzed that social workers are been engaged in determining the reasons related to mental
disorders which is being faced by patients. They are involved in providing protection related to
patients suffering from trauma, mental disorder, brain damage, loss and abuse. These individuals
are making sure that medical models do not get in between the process of the methods which is
being used by social workers. These medical models which is being used by health care
professionals focuses only on the mental illness rather than on the basic human rights that needs
to be provided to vulnerable adults. This will make sure that equal opportunities are being
provided to all patients and also they can access to bring out the change. Social workers are been
engaged in working with health care professionals closely, they are also being involved in
making use of empathy so that unique relationship can be built and acute support can be
provided to service users and their family and friends. This will support them in improvising
quality of life of mental health patients. It will support social worker in achieving their goals and
objectives.
Social workers work on ethos and basic code of conducts. National Health Service
organization makes sure that no type of discrimination and inequality acts is being performed by
them. They are also making use of psychological development theory in order to analyze the
factors leading to mental health problems (Pasini and Dick, 2019). This has assisted them in
providing protection to vulnerable mental health adult. It has been analyzed that in order to
provide better care to mental health patients, social workers need to have expertise in the use of
Mental health act, 1983. This act provides them an opportunity to perform task related and move
into the role of responsible clinician. This has been hardly explored by the social workers. It has
been analyzed that they do not have adequate knowledge related to it. Social worker also faces
lots of challenges while being engaged in providing care to mental health patients. Like for
example they do not have adequate source of resources so that acute care can be provided. Thus,
it can reduce the health outcome of service users and can also lower down the quality of life of
individuals. The other challenge like public and private outcry can over lapse in providing safety
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to service users. There have been cases of abuse and failures marked in National Health Service
organization. This has led to making social worker more aware and prompts their action in
safeguarding in NHS and engaged in providing acute services to patients suffering from mental
health problems. They have also been engaged in analyzing the needs and demands of service
users so that quality of life can be improved.
Social work is also about working fully with the systems which has been provided to them,
this can assist them in working with full capacity. This aspect of social workers supports them in
solving out problems that is being faced by individuals. Social workers are also been engaged in
protecting the human rights (Alston and Bowles, 2019). Social workers are working on the well-
being principles; they focus on building community capacity so that they can build social capital
chimes with the change that is being needed in world across the whole system of mental health.
Social workers in National Health Service organization is been engaged in reaching out the
diverse communities and taking preventive measures so that service users can be provided with
quality treatment. They are also engaged in working on analyzing the diverse community needs.
In order to achieve the vision of mental health service, the principle of co-production is being
used.
It is based on how social workers can be engaged in collaboratively working towards
commissioners and service workers so that better and long lasting care can be provided. This will
also involved people to be fully engaged in services so that they would be able to determine their
own care and support plans. Social workers in National Health service organization is also
engaged in making sure that while providing care no belief, attitude and thoughts of mental
health patients is being hampered (Travis, Lizano and Mor Barak, 2016). As this can lay impact
on quality of service that has been provided by them. Social workers in firm are been engaged in
solving problems that is being faced by patients. It has been analyzed that social workers are
been engaged in reviewing and assessing the care which has been provided by them. They have
been engaged in analyzing needs and demands of service users.
They ensure that fair access to care has been provided to all vulnerable adults so that their
health outcome can be improved. Social workers in National Health Service firm is also been
engaged in providing protection to safeguarding adults and child that are being suffering from
mental disorders. They are also leading their practices with families so that they can analyze
multiple needs of them. This can support them in providing help to children and adults facing
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problems related to mental health. They are also engaged in providing care to patients related to
substance abuse. Social workers are also intervening the situations related to social and
environmental circumstances that have led to rise in problems related to mental health. They
have been engaged in providing logistic care.
Challenges social workers face in adult mental health services
Social workers are people who work with individual and families of all age and different culture
of people in order to help them in improving their health. One of the main aim of social workers
is to protect vulnerable people from harm, abuse and all those things which can hurt them There
are different types of social workers such as: community social workers who think of their
community and want to improve their lives, child and school social workers who work for
preventing those children whose family condition is not good and are suffering from some
problems and healthcare social workers. In the context of healthcare social workers, it can be
said that they work for vulnerable people and help them out to have access services, education
and other health related problems (Alston and Bowles, 2019). One of the main aim of healthcare
social workers is to improve health of people so they can function in their daily lives. It is not an
easy task fro healthcare social workers to perform their all function effectively as they face
several challenges while treating people and dealing with adult mental health. Some main
challenges which they face include:
Access and affordability: There are several factors which affect the accessibility as well as
mental health services in NHS and in community. For providing effective services to adults who
are suffering from mental health, it is important for health care providers to have appropriate
resources and access on them. Lack of access and affordability create several problems and
barriers in providing effective health care services to patients. Some reasons which can create
this problem include: lack of insurance for mental health services, hours of availability of an
agency, language barriers. In this context, it can also be said that mental health services and their
access can get affected by federal and state budget decisions, managed care guidelines. In
addition, it is also stated that developing and rural areas health care departments do not have
appropriate resources and lack of availability create barriers in the path of effective healthcare
services. This services gap creates problems but with having knowledge of reducing barriers
make workers able to continue with their healthcare services (Ciocănel and et.al., 2018).
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In disciplinary teams: It can be said that social workers and people can work effectively
in a team and with collaboration. But when they do not have discipline members and team then it
may also create several problems. An effective team allows social workers to increase their
productivity and knowledge as well. It also makes them able to reduce errors in their process of
health care services. But it is stated that lack of skilled healthcare providers and increasing rate
of retention in this department is one of the main problem. This problem or lack of skilled
assistants and healthcare providers can decrease quality of services; indiscipline team members
perform unproductive activity which leads tension and errors. It can lower their morale. It also
have negative impacts on adult mental health services. In disciplinary team members do not
focus on mental health services. They also not see the value of their work. So, it can be said that
disciplinary team in healthcare department plays an important role in improving health.
Stigma: Stigma refers a feeling of disapproval which many people have in a society has about
something. In the context of mental health, it can be said that it is a disgrace which sets a person
apart from others. There are several people who behave with mental health of people in an
ineffective manner. When an individual suffers from mental illness than they are no longer seen
as an individual by their society and other people but as a part of a stereotyped people. So, it can
be said that this negative behaviour of society towards people who are suffering from mental
illness create prejudice which also leads to negative action as well as discrimination. For
providing effective services to adult mental people, it is important for healthcare social providers
to have cooperation of patients and their family (Ferguson, 2016). But when they do not get
cooperation from patients and family because of stigma and negative attitudes than it lowers
their morale. It creates several problems in their process of healthcare services providing. So, it
can be said that stigma or negative attitude of people towards mental health is one of the main
challenge faced by social workers.
Communication: An effective communication and system applied for communication is
also considered one of the main problems which care crate several problems. An effective
communication leads misunderstanding which can create barriers in the process of health care.
There are several forms of communication but choosing ineffective form may become the reason
of conflicts among team members. It is important for healthcare providers to maintain paper
work of all patients which has all informations related the nature of their disease, current
medication, their history etc. But an ineffective form of communication can create problems in
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these paper works which can directly affect health of patients. Electronic medical records save
time of healthcare providers but there are high chances of privacy theft and other internet related
issues such as phishing and others. These issues ca create problems and make the reason of poor
quality of healthcare services.
Long working hours: In the context of health care providers and other social workers, it
can be said that they required working for longer hours. They do not have to work from 9-6 and
other specific time as like other private organizations’ workers do. It depends upon the nature of
disease of patients and number of patients. Sometimes they work for 24-48 hours. These long
working hours make them frustrated and depresses. They cannot even enjoy their social life and
cannot spare time for their family and friends. It makes them frustrated and sometimes it
becomes difficult for them to focus on their work. Extended duration work shifts make them
depressed which leads errors in the process of healthcare services. It also affects health of
patients in a negative manner. There is an increasing risk of serious medical errors as well as
diagnostic mistakes when work shifts durations extended. So, it can b said that longer working
hours is other main problem which are being faced by healthcare social workers.
High workload: Rather, longer working hours, it can be said that high workload in healthcare
department also makes healthcare providers frustrated. Social healthcare providers typically
carry high workload which is one of the main reasons of increasing burnout and labour turnover
rates (Hassan and et.al., 2016). Direct and indirect patient care activities are associated with
higher demands and emotional distress among social workers. This work load affects their
working life. Due to high work load they become frustrated which leads errors in the healthcare
service process. It is also stated that high workload increasing labour turnover rate. Several
nurses are leaving and no one prefer to enter in this field and lack of skilled workforce in this
department creating many other problems for healthcare social workers. It also affects adult
mental healthcare.
Challenging clients: Health care social workers have to deal with different types of patients.
Some patients are very critical which creates problem for health care providers. Adults with
mental health do not cooperate to nurses and social workers and their poor mental health
sometimes makes healthcare providers depressed. They cannot provide effective healthcare
services to them due to their severe condition and lack of cooperation. Some workers stated that
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dealing with critical and challenging clients is one of the main problem and task or them. It leads
to increase in stress as they feel incompetent. It also leads to higher levels of burnout symptoms.
In addition, it can also analyse that it creates ethical dilemmas. Some social workers stated that
dealing with critical and challenging patients with mental health make them feel powerless,
frustrated and overwhelmed (Raven, Wurie and Witter, 2018).
So, from the above discussed problems, it can be said that it is not easy for social workers to
perform their activities and dealing with adult mental health services. They need cooperation of
patients, their family members, society, availability of resources, access to all tools, effective
guidelines and support of governments. So, by getting all these services and help¸ social workers
can improve their healthcare services and improve lives of patients and people. They can also
accomplish their goals and improving of overall health of people. Medical social workers work
closely with patients. But there are some ways by which they can solve all these problems. One
of the effective ways is to increase knowledge and skills which are required to deal with critical
and any type of patients such as empathy, communication, decision making and time
management (Figueroa and et.al., 2019). All these skills can help them out in making patients
comfortable and managing their day to day works in an effective manner. It can also increase
their morale and willingness of working more effectively for such kind of patients.
. CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarized that good quality of social work has changed
the lives and living standards of people suffering from mental health issues. It has been analyzed
that social worker in NHS is been working with multidisciplinary team to save vulnerable adults.
They are also engaged in identifying and analyzing the local services in order to meet out the
needs and demands of people. It has also been evaluated from the report that social workers has
been engaged in working with multi-disciplinary team so that they can provide acute care and
support to mental health adults.
They have been working on the well being principles of care act. It has assisted them in
enhancing the quality of life of vulnerable adults. Social workers have also been engaged in
improvising their leadership and professional skills so that they can find solutions to the
problems which have been faced by National Health Service organization. Social workers in
National Health Service organization is been engaged in imposing skills in situations in which
9

patients are facing high level of social, family and interpersonal complexity. They have been
facing risk and ambiguity. Social workers are also making sure that the human rights of all the
vulnerable adults have been protected. They have also been engaged in analyzing the needs and
demands of patients so that holistic care can be provided. This has assisted them in achieving
their goal of providing support to mental health patients. They have been engaged in saving them
from mental health problem.
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Ferguson, H., 2016. What social workers do in performing child protection work: Evidence from
research into face‐to‐face practice. Child & Family Social Work. 21(3). pp.283-294.
Hassan, G. and et.al., 2016. Mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of Syrians affected by
armed conflict. Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences. 25(2). pp.129-141.
Raven, J., Wurie, H. and Witter, S., 2018. Health workers’ experiences of coping with the Ebola
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