Empowering Users in HSC: Care Services - HND Health & Social Care

This report delves into the crucial topic of empowering users within health and social care services, emphasizing patient-centered approaches and informed decision-making. It highlights the impact of current legislation, such as the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Health Capacity Act 2005, in safeguarding and promoting individual rights, particularly for vulnerable adults. The report examines factors affecting individual rights, including age and health conditions, and explores effective communication strategies to maximize patient inclusion. It analyzes factors contributing to the loss of independence, reviews policies available to local authorities, and discusses inherent tensions in adult safeguarding. Furthermore, the report addresses the risk of harm to service users, reviews relevant policies, and applies legislation to medication handling, linking these to workplace procedures. The case study of Solomon and Jamila, an elderly couple experiencing domestic abuse, serves as a practical context for understanding the challenges and potential solutions in empowering users within the HSC framework. Desklib offers a platform to access this and many other solved assignments for students.

Running head: EMPOWERING USERS IN HSC
Empowering Users in hsc
Name of the student
University name
Author’s note

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EMPOWERING USERS IN HSC
Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
Background:...........................................................................................................................2
Task 1:....................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Impact of the current legislation..........................................................................................3
1.2 Lists of factors affecting individual rights...........................................................................4
1.3 Communication means to promote and maximise rights.....................................................5
Task 2:....................................................................................................................................7
A) Factors contributing to the loss of independence..................................................................7
B) Current policies, systems and processes available to local authority....................................8
C) Analysis of inherent tensions in adults safeguarding..........................................................10
Case study 2:........................................................................................................................13
Task 3:..................................................................................................................................13
A) Risk of harm of service users at Winterbourne...................................................................13
B) Review of policies, procedures and approaches in lieu of the Winterbourne Case............14
Task 4:..................................................................................................................................15
A) Application of legislation and codes of practice to handing of medication........................15
B) Linking legislations and associated codes of practice to own workplace policies and
procedures................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion............................................................................................................................18
Bibliography.........................................................................................................................20

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Introduction
The current study focuses upon empowering the users of health and social care
services. Some of these are delivered in the form of patient centred care approaches whereby
the patients or the service users are made an integral part of the care planning and decision
making process. The empowerment of the users is done through policy of informed decision
making. Additionally, the importance of current legislation practices have been highlighted
though the current study. The study conducted over here helps in understanding the
contribution of the policies and legislations in safeguarding as well as promoting individual
rights.
Background:
The current study highlights the case study of Solomon and Jamila who are an old
couple in their eighties. The couple had a history of physical and verbal abuse and had often
been contacted by the local authority over the same. The matter had been investigated
through the local authority adult safeguarding procedures. However, any such charges of
abuse have been refuted by the couple when the local adult safeguarding committee would
visit them at home. The couple had been attended by a social worker who suggested the
couple to participate in a family group conference along with regular counselling session at
the local community centre. The couple had been provided a drop in facility for attending the
counselling sessions offered at the local community centres. Additionally, the couple have
also been advised targeted medical sessions at the local community hospitals for additional
support.

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Task 1:
1.1 Impact of the current legislation
In the present context, targeted medical sessions have been implemented in order to
promote a person centred approach where care plans are designed taking into consideration
the requirements of individual service users. The counselling sessions could help in
understanding the mental and emotional issues faced by the services users. These could help
in empowering the service users though empathy and effective communication approaches.
The organizations providing services to vulnerable people are entitled to conduct inspection
processes1. The inspection process should be conducted in association with the legal
authorities or bodies. Some of the important legislations which could be applied to the
present case study are the Care Act, 2014, which defines an adult at risk as a person who is
in need of support and is unable to protect themselves against abuse 2. Moreover, the
Mental Health Capacity Act, 2005, provides the patient with the right to decision making. It
is believed that even after old age and presence of certain mental illnesses the cognition and
decision making capacity of an individual may not be completely compromised3. Therefore,
1 Ocloo, Josephine, and Rachel Matthews. "From tokenism to empowerment: progressing
patient and public involvement in healthcare improvement." BMJ Qual Saf (2016): bmjqs-
2015.
2 Glasby, Jon. Understanding health and social care. Policy Press, 2017.
3 Andrews, Nick, John Gabbay, Andreé Le May, Emma Miller, Martin O'Neill, and Alison
Petch. "Developing Evidence Enriched Practice in Health and Social Care with Older
People." (2015).

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practising the right to decision making and informed consent taking can lead to optimum
patient inclusion. Since the condition of Solomon was deteriorating as he was being subjected
to increasing domestic abuse there was a need for urgent intervention. Some of the guidance
within the policies has been revised to maximise the well being of the older adults receiving
care, reducing the incidence of delay in supplying their basic needs and services. The local
authorities are responsible for implementing the policies and codes of practice effectively4. In
case of a breach of the same legal action could be taken against the local authorities 5.
1.2 Lists of factors affecting individual rights
Some of the factors which could affect the individual rights of the patients are age,
changing health conditions, level of dependence. A number of health complications may arise
in the patient due to increasing age. Some of the age related issues are heart and kidney
related disorders6. The disorders of the skeletal system are most common as the patient may
develop conditions such as gout and osteoarthritis. Some of these may make activities of
4 Faiola, Anthony, and Richard J. Holden. "Consumer health informatics: Empowering
healthy-living-seekers through mHealth." Progress in cardiovascular diseases 59, no. 5
(2017): 479-486.
5 Rolls, Kaye, Margaret Hansen, Debra Jackson, and Doug Elliott. "How health care
professionals use social media to create virtual communities: an integrative review." Journal
of medical Internet research 18, no. 6 (2016).
6 Cameron, Ailsa, Rachel Lart, Lisa Bostock, and Caroline Coomber. "Factors that promote
and hinder joint and integrated working between health and social care services: a review of
research literature." Health & social care in the community 22, no. 3 (2014): 225-233.

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daily life difficult for the patient. Additionally, a number of mental health disorders may
develop in the patients due to advancing age such as depression, bipolar depression. The
bipolar depression is often subjected to environmental circumstances and could develop
mood swings within the patient. In this respect, some of the contributory factors are old age
and loneliness. Solomon and Jamila have been fighting amongst themselves, which could be
attributed to emotional stress. Hence, the counselling sessions would have been effective in
providing the couple with old age mental health support. The changing health conditions may
make an individual dependent upon others7. Some of aspects such as continuing professional
development could help in enriching the standards of the care services by training the
healthcare professionals further8.
1.3 Communication means to promote and maximise rights
In order to promote maximum patient inclusion a number of communication
approaches could be used such as therapeutic communication. The therapeutic
communication is based upon the skills of apathy and cultural intelligence present within a
nursing professional. As mentioned , the cultural intelligence helps to take into consideration
the faith and religious paradoxes of the patients which often prevents them from approaching
7 Naslund, J. A., K. A. Aschbrenner, L. A. Marsch, and S. J. Bartels. "The future of mental
health care: peer-to-peer support and social media." Epidemiology and psychiatric
sciences 25, no. 2 (2016): 113-122.
8 Woolham, John, Guy Daly, Nicole Steils, and Katrina Ritters. "The evolution of person-
centred care to personalised care, personal budgets and direct payments in England: some
implications for older users of social care services." Sociologia e Politiche Sociali (2015).

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the right channels for health and support care services9. The therapeutic communication
means are also aimed at making the patients a part of the decision making process. This helps
in promoting informed planning which reduces the chances of disputes within an
organization.
There are five important communication aspects which could be applied within a
healthcare sector. Some of these are- listening, verbal and non-verbal, questioning and
written modes of communication. One of the communication means which could be applied
by the nursing professional over here when dealing with both Solomon and jamila over here
is patient listening. It had been revealed in studies listening actively to the grievances and the
worries of the patient are a part of therapeutic communication approaches10. The nursing
professional can also engage the patient in verbal queries such as the hobbies and the likes of
the patient. This level of communication can help in unwavering important character sides of
the patient. These could be used by the nursing professional to design counselling strategies
for the patient. It has been seen that recording information helped in continuous
improvement11.
9 Calvillo, Jorge, Isabel Román, and Laura M. Roa. "How technology is empowering
patients? A literature review." Health Expectations 18, no. 5 (2015): 643-652.
10 Lewis, Jane, and Anne West. "Re-shaping social care services for older people in England:
policy development and the problem of achieving ‘good care’." Journal of Social Policy 43,
no. 1 (2014): 1-18.
11 Naslund, J. A., K. A. Aschbrenner, L. A. Marsch, and S. J. Bartels. "The future of mental
health care: peer-to-peer support and social media." Epidemiology and psychiatric
sciences 25, no. 2 (2016): 113-122.

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EMPOWERING USERS IN HSC
Task 2:
A) Factors contributing to the loss of independence
Some of the factors which may be contributed to loss of independence within the
patients are increase in age. With increase in age an individual may develop certain physical
and mental ailments12. Some of these may affect the activities of daily living of the patients
and make them more dependent on others. As mentioned, financial instability may also make
a person dependent upon others13. In this context, both Solomon and Jamila were in their
eighties and were dependent upon their daughter who used to visits them regularly.
Additionally, the couple have been living isolated without much participation in social
groups. This could be attributed to their old age which often makes an individual feel less
contributing to the society. This could be also attributed to the reduce cognition within an
individual. In old age a person is often seen to develop mental illness such as depression,
Alzheimer’s etc. The Alzheimer’s have been seen to affect the thinking and decision making
capabilities within an old age person14. The lack of job and financial engagements also makes
12 Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna, Joyce Resin, Lisa Ashley, Doris Barwich, Jacobi Elliott, Paul
Huras, France Légaré et al. "Giving voice to older adults living with frailty and their family
caregivers: engagement of older adults living with frailty in research, health care decision
making, and in health policy." Research involvement and engagement 2, no. 1 (2016): 23.
13 Faiola, Anthony, and Richard J. Holden. "Consumer health informatics: Empowering
healthy-living-seekers through mHealth." Progress in cardiovascular diseases 59, no. 5
(2017): 479-486.
14 Faiola, Anthony, and Richard J. Holden. "Consumer health informatics: Empowering
healthy-living-seekers through mHealth." Progress in cardiovascular diseases 59, no. 5

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a person more dependent in old age. Therefore, in order to empower the service users some of
the policies and legislations could be applied over here which are the Mental Health Capacity
Act, 2005 and the Equality Act, 2010.
The Mental Health Capacity Act helps in ensuring that the support users are provided
maximum independence so that they could participate in their care planning and decision
makes process. Additionally, the implementation of the Equality Act, 2010, helps in ensuring
that the patients are not subjected to any forms of discrimination either in the place of care or
within the community. Here, the patients could be facing discrimination owing to old age.
Hence, the implementation of the law could reduce the chances of social exclusion and
encourage well being and good living conditions for the patients.
B) Current policies, systems and processes available to local authority
In this respect, a number of policies, systems and processes could be mentioned over
here which play a crucial role in safeguarding the adults. One such policy is the Care Act,
2014, which protects an adult’s right to live safely free from abuse and neglect. It is aimed at
supporting the adults in making choices and having optimum control in the way they would
want to live their own lives. It also covers the aspect of making the surroundings and people
aware of the incidents of older people abuse and take precautionary measures. In this respect,
Solomon was at risk of harm from physical abuse. Hence, effective strategies should have
been implemented in place to prevent the patient from further abuse. Some of these were
regular inspection of the patient condition along with provision of help through family
support units15.
(2017): 479-486.
15 Woolham, John, Guy Daly, Nicole Steils, and Katrina Ritters. "The evolution of person-
centred care to personalised care, personal budgets and direct payments in England: some

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The Care Act could be divided into six principles of safeguarding which could be
used to support user empowerment. Some of these are- empowerment, prevention,
proportionality, protection, partnership and accountability. The empowerment aspect focuses
upon making the service users a part of the decision making process. The service users need
to be helped by the nursing professional in taking appropriate decisions16. Whistle blowing
serves as another important aspect of prevention programs where the healthcare staff looking
after the patient needs to inspect the incidences of abuse and report it the concerned
authorities17. Some of the risk mitigation strategies which could be applied over here are
conducting regular internal audits whereby a comprehensive check up of the patient could be
conducted which help sin identification of the grievances faced by the patient. The services
should act proportionately to the identified risks and may range from single agency responses
to steps undertaken by joint agencies. The safeguarding agencies need to take the necessary
steps such as calling the police if they think that an incidence of abuse has taken place and
that the safety concerns of the services users have been jeopardised.
implications for older users of social care services." Sociologia e Politiche Sociali (2015).
16 Gibbs, S., Mann, G., & Mathers, N. (2018, April). Child-to-Child: a practical guide:
empowering children as active citizens. In Society for Social Medicine Annual Scientific
Meeting & European Congress of Epidemiology.
17 Batterham, R. W., M. Hawkins, P. A. Collins, R. Buchbinder, and R. H. Osborne. "Health
literacy: applying current concepts to improve health services and reduce health
inequalities." Public Health 132 (2016): 3-12.

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Another aspect which could be implemented over here is supporting the service users
through multiple agency channels such as family group conference and local community
centre. Therefore, attending the family group conference would have helped Jamila and
Solomon address their mutual difference which had often taken violent turns between the
two. The community centres could acts as effective counselling centres of the couple.
The communication aspects play a pivotal role in promoting and maximising the
rights of the patients. Effective communication practices helps in connecting with the patients
on a personal level. It helps in understanding the mental and emotional dilemmas faced by
them. In order to provide proper support to the care service users a number of different
communication approaches could be used.
C) Analysis of inherent tensions in adults safeguarding
There are a number of barriers faced in the safeguarding of adults. For instance an
inherent tension lies in balancing risk with protection. In old age, an individual may need
support from one or more health care channels. The implementation of the healthcare policies
and procedure has been seen to be effective in promoting the rights of the services users18.
However, often a lack of knowledge regarding the same could affect the quality of the
support care services. One of the most inherent risk factors which could be faced is with
regards to facing ethical dilemmas in adult care. It had been seen that the older adults often
depict violent or aggressive behaviour towards the healthcare providers, as they may not
18 Martinez, Omar, Elwin Wu, Theo Sandfort, Brian Dodge, Alex Carballo-Dieguez, Rogeiro
Pinto, Scott Rhodes, Eva Moya, and Silvia Chavez-Baray. "Evaluating the impact of
immigration policies on health status among undocumented immigrants: a systematic
review." Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 17, no. 3 (2015): 947-970.

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agree with the care plan or services provided to them19. This results in a situation of dispute
within the healthcare environment and could affect the care delivery process. For instance,
both Solomon and Jamila had called up the local authorities on several occasions reporting
domestic abuse. However, when the local authorities have arrived they have declined any
such incidences. Therefore, some of the factors such as lack of sufficient participation and
cooperation from the patients can affect the quality of the care services. One such policy
which could be highlighted over here is the Mental Health Capacity Act, 2005. It provides the
patient population sufficient opportunity to participate in their own care plan. An old age
patient undergoing care for dementia and other related sickness may exhibit reduced
cognition and decision making abilities20. The mental capacity act allows patients to take
important decision pertaining to their healthcare. As argued, the patients with reduced
cognitive abilities may not be capable of taking the right decision which may affect their
19 Dahlgren, D., and Margaret Whitehead. "European Strategies for tackling social
inequalities in health: levelling up part 2." In Society for Social Medicine Annual Scientific
Meeting & European Congress of Epidemiology. 2018.
20 Glasby, Jon, and Helen Dickinson. Partnership working in health and social care: what is
integrated care and how can we deliver it?. Policy Press, 2014.