Evaluation of Partnership Working in Health and Social Care Settings

This report comprehensively examines partnership working within health and social care organizations. It begins by exploring the core philosophies underpinning effective partnerships, including shared vision, empowerment, independence, and equity. The report then evaluates partnership relationships at service user-professional, interpersonal, and organizational levels. It delves into various models of partnership, such as unified, coordination, coalition, problem-oriented, ideological, and ethical partnerships, outlining their benefits and applications within residential settings. Furthermore, the report reviews relevant legislation and organizational practices, including the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Care Quality Commission Regulation 2009, and Safety and Quality Act 2015, analyzing their impact on collaborative working. It identifies how differences in working practices and policies can affect collaboration, and concludes by discussing strategies to improve outcomes for service users, professionals, and organizations involved in health and social care partnerships.

Working in Partnership

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 The philosophies of working in partnership in health and social care..................................1
1.2 Evaluating partnership relationship within health and social care services..........................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Models of partnership working in health and social care sector...........................................3
2.2 Reviewing the current legislation and organizational practices and policies........................4
2.3 Differences in working practices and policies affects the collaborative working.................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Outcomes of partnership working for service users, professionals and organizations..........6
3.2 Analyzing the potential barriers of partnership working.......................................................7
3.3 Strategies to improve outcomes for partnership working......................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Working in partnership in health and social care organizations is identified as an effective
strategy for successfully transferring services to its service users and service providers as well.
Working in a partnership is beneficial for people who plan and provide services to other people,
by putting together new and improved solutions for difficult problems (Aubrey and Cohen 2000).
This report is based on case scenario of health and social care organizations in residential
settings. This report will help in understanding the partnership philosophies and relationships in
health and social care services as well as how to promote positive partnership working with
service users, professionals and organizations in health and social care.
TASK 1
1.1 The philosophies of working in partnership in health and social care
At the time of working in a partnership firm, there are some philosophies that relates with
partnership working. These philosophies are as follows, Shared vision: Shared vision is a structure that supports and facilitates the development
of health and social care organization. Shared vision in partnership is developed by
people with the help of communication within the health and social care organization.
Shared vision in partnership brings individuals, statutory agencies and key communities
together (Cooney, 2002). All the partners of health and social care organizations have the
responsibility of promoting health care and collecting information about current issues
and concerns. Shared vision philosophies work along with shared responsibility of
providing effective health care services. Empowerment: Further, empowerment in health and social care organization is a process
by which people increase their control on decision making and activities which affects
the health of service users. The empowerment is a critical foundation between clients and
professionals for developing an honest relationship. For instance, once in health care
organization, the patient was treated with wrong medication which made negative impact
on patient's health. This issue affected quality of the organization (Miller, Whoriskey and
Cook, 2008). However, being an internal quality assurance officer, it was my
responsibility to develop empowerment of effective decision making in patients so that
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they can take efficient actions for their treatment. This philosophy of empowerment
helped in improving quality of health and social care organization. Independence: Independence is one of the effective philosophies in partnership.
Independence is free from outside control. In terms of partnership in health and social
care organization, independence is the ability to make effective decisions which affects
individuals’ life without anyone's control whether it is family member or health care
professional. Independence in all individuals creates power of decision making and self
confidence which can be helpful in improving quality of health care organization
(Whoriskey, Miller and Cook, 2008).
 Equity: Moreover, the philosophy of equity creates fairness. Equity in partnership means,
every patient should be treated equally and should be provided equal access of health
services equally. The philosophy of equity improves the quality of health care
organizations as it provides each client effective and equal care.
1.2 Evaluating partnership relationship within health and social care services
Health and social care professionals in residential settings have significant relationship
with partners. The relationship of partnership within the health and social care services can be
evaluated on various levels. All levels of relationship and professional groups are based upon
some activities which are related to the performance and quality of the organization. These levels
of partnership relationship are service user professionals, interpersonal level relationship and
organizational level relationship. Service user- Professionals relationship in residential setting is
very important (Bond and Syson, 2010). The health care professional in residential setting are the
part of unit who are directly related to service users, as they provide their services their
professional services to them. Similarly, service users get the services from health care
professionals. Thus, both of them share effective relationship with each other. However, the
health care professionals provide effective services to users of services with some extra
settlement in short time but sometimes it is not possible to provide them long term benefits.
Furthermore, one of the most important levels of partnership relationship in residential
setting is interpersonal level of relationship. In this level of relationship, the service professionals
establish relationship with the service users who are old aged, retired workers and mentally
challenged people who are less demanding and are not able to say what they need. The health
care professionals establish effective communication with them (Dickinson and Glasby, 2009).
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Through this, they can feel free in sharing their views and health care professional can provide
effective services to them. Mostly, in category people who are old and retired from their work
and feel isolated due to some personal reasons. Hence, this leads to give more stress on the
interpersonal level of working partnership. Moreover, the partnership relationship becomes more
important when working in partnership. The development of partnership relationship at
organizational level provides fruitful suggestions by which services can be improved in
residential setting. Organizational level relationship helps in gathering the information about
organizational development and improvement of health care service in residential setting.
However, sometimes effective mutual working is difficult in organizational settings because of
difference in authorities and cultural gaps (Beautieu and Carnevale, 2002). Meantime, the health
care professional can maintain proper responsibility of health and social care in partnership
working at organizational level through their support and by giving feedback to their co- workers
and clients as well.
TASK 2
2.1 Models of partnership working in health and social care sector
Partnership working in residential settings applies various theoretical model of
partnership. These models are as follows, Unified Model: Unified model of partnership provides combined trust of partners that
possesses individual financial system and individual strategic direction, aims and
objectives in providing effective quality of health and social care services. There are so
many benefits of unified model of partnership as it decreases the delay charges because
of intermediate care specialist’s investment and enhance the integrated working and
reduces the waiting time (Glasby, 2004). By applying unified model of partnership in
working, it can be beneficial in improving quality of residential settings because of its
integrated system of working. Coordination Model: The coordination model of partnership working facilitates partners
to function in independent way and at the same time this model facilitates coordination
with staff and people stay well-defined individually. Mostly, local government health
care organization applies this model in partnership working to improve quality of
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residential settings. Integrated individual structure is not possible in coordinated model of
partnership working. Coalition Model: Further, coalition model of partnership working enables the residential
settings to work corporately settled by an agreement to function the health care services
with common intention. As per this model, partnership of residential settings works
together for a common objective. This common objective of partnership can result in
improved quality of residential settings in health and social care organization.
 Problem Oriented Partnership: This model of partnership is designed for resolving the
problems in health and social care organization. Problem oriented partnership
understands the issues of clients and tries to resolve them by developing strategies and
solutions (Health and social care working in partnership. 2007). Problem oriented
partnership helps in improving the quality of health and social care organization that
service user are facing. Ideological partnership: Further, in ideological partnership model the viewpoints of
both health care professional and service user are considered for effective decision
making. For instance, if the service user is suffering from some serious disease that has to
be treated immediately by specialist. Then health care professionals will encourage the
service user to take effective decision or to participate in decision making procedures.
 Ethical Partnership: there is one more model of partnership working that is ethical
partnership. This ethical partnership improves the living of both health-care professional
and services users (Kosar and Rašeta, 2005). Further, this partnership working is
beneficial in improving quality and safety of the health and social care organization.
2.2 Reviewing the current legislation and organizational practices and policies
The legislation's affects the working practices of health and social care organizations.
These legislations work for protecting children, adult and younger, disabilities, diversity,
equality, mental and physical health etc. The government of UK has implemented various
legislation and policies in health and social care organization to improve the service quality.
These are as follows, Health and social care act 2012: The health and social care act 2012 is an act by
government of UK to provide the large structure for reorganizing the national health
services in UK. This act was created to establish independent national health services,
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promoting patients choice and to reduce costs of national health services. This act helps
in strengthening the role of care quality commission that can be helpful in improving
quality of health and social care organizations in UK (Davies, 2002). The health and
social care act 2012 is beneficial for health and social care organizations as it provides
resources and commissioning guidance to national health services board. Care Quality Commission Regulation 2009: The care quality commission act of the UK
is non departmental public body of health and social care department. This act was
established in 2009 to examine and regulate the quality of the health care services in UK.
This act was formed to assure that hospitals, health care organization, general care
services and care homes are providing safe, high quality and effective services to people.
Moreover, this act also encourages these organizations to improve the service quality in
health care sector. This act carries out the role of monitoring and inspecting that health
care service to patients is proper and hygienic (Chapman, Townson and Ledger, 2014).
 Safety and quality act 2015: The new act is made by UK government to prevent harm
against the people who are receiving medical care. The practical execution of this act is
awaited to be affected by the care quality commission of the UK. According to this act
health care organization will take care of safety and quality while providing service in
residential settings of health care organization.
2.3 Differences in working practices and policies affects the collaborative working
The differences in working practices and policies affects the collaborative working
because the implementation of various working practices and policies. For instance, in health
care organization there may be many departments and sectors. All the departments have separate
working practices. Such as administrative department and finance department they both have
different working practices and policies that can affect the collaborative working. Moreover,
health-care organizations also possesses specialist in health care department like neurologist
doctors, physician and cardiologist doctors (Boydell and Rugkåsa, 2007). All of them are
specialized in different field and hold less knowledge of other specialist's working practices and
policies. These variations of specialization affect the collaborative working in health and social
care organization.
The difference in working practices and policies are because of lack of knowledge. In
collaborative working in health and social care organizations these different working practices
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can create many confusions and issues to the health care professionals regarding their working
practices and responsibilities in specific situations. However, there are many other policies and
working practices such as statutory and voluntary, that affects the collaborative working in health
and social care organization. Further the service providers of the organization also affect the
partnership working (Spalter and et.al., 2012). Health care organizations possesses separate
service provider's in each department with various roles and responsibilities it can be difficult for
them to understand and handle other individuals responsibilities however, these are all the factors
that affects the collaborative working in health and social care organization.
TASK 3
3.1 Outcomes of partnership working for service users, professionals and organizations
The possible outcome of the partnership working in health and social care organizations
can be analyzed at three different levels. These are as follows, Possible outcomes for service users: As a positive outcome of partnership working it
enables service user to make effective decisions regarding their health care by enhancing
empowerment in them. Empowerment provides the opportunity to service users to
participate in social group and enhance the ability to react over the decisions that is made
by social groups. For instance, if service user is allergic to some medication than they
would be able to share their view point with health care professionals (Barriers to
partnership working in public health: a qualitative study. 2014). The positive outcome of
partnership working for service users is they will be able to manage their oppressors
effectively. Possible outcomes for health care professionals: Further, partnership working will
increase the efficiency of health care professionals. Partnership working will provide
them in-depth knowledge of service user's disease or illness and will help them in
providing better and quality services. Moreover, the empowerment in service user will
enable the professionals to standardize the services. They will provide the quality
services according to the requirement of service users and enable the professional for
utilize the resources efficiently. However, there are some negative outcomes also of
partnership working as sometimes it creates the miscommunication with service users
and organizations that create conflicts (Stretch, 2012).
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 Possible outcomes for organizations: The outcome for health care organizations of
partnership working is that it helps in improving the quality of services. The health care
firms can use suggestions and feedback of partners such as health care professionals and
service users in improving the quality of health services. As a positive outcome of
improved quality services in partnership working it will increase the sales and
profitability of the health organization (Douglas, 2009). Moreover, partnership working
will provide them efficient knowledge for standardizing the quality of services and
integrated services in the organizations. However, partnership working has some negative
outcomes as well as it increases the costs to the company.
3.2 Analyzing the potential barriers of partnership working
Partnership working in health and social care organizations face many difficulties. The
potential barriers to partnership working for service users, professionals and organizations are as
follows, Lack of proper knowledge regarding roles and responsibilities : The roles and
responsibilities of each partner should be described clearly in health care organization.
Sometimes partners do not understand the roles and responsibility of each other. This
creates confusions and conflicting situations in health care organization. This lack of
improper knowledge of roles and responsibilities is the main barrier in partnership
working (Bond and Syson, 2010). Unwillingness in sharing information: One more barrier in partnership working is
unwillingness to share proper information. For instance, if some patient is not providing
proper information about their disease than health care professional will be unable to
provide proper treatment. Similarly, patient is suffering from some serious problem and
health care professionals are not sharing information with patient because of the patient's
health issue. These are all the barriers that partnership working face regularly in health
and social care organization (Davies, 2002). Different partnership philosophies: Moreover, Every partners possesses different
philosophies and ethics of partnership working such as empowerment, utilitarianism etc.
these unique philosophies of partners enables conflict situation which is main barrier in
partnership working.
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 Lack of clear direction or leadership for the partnership: The one more potential barrier
in partnership working is not having common goal and objective in partnership working
due to improper direction and weak leadership. However, it is very important for partners
to establish common objective of working together. Thereby, the health care
organizations need to develop effective leadership in people for effective partnership
working (Miller, Whoriskey and Cook, 2008).
 Lack of training among partners for managing health care issues: Furthermore, the
partnership working has the potential barrier of not getting proper training for managing
the health care issues. Due to this issue health care professionals are unable to provide
effective services to their patients. For instance, health care professionals have so many
patients in a day and they are unable to resolve them because of ineffective management.
Thus, it is a barrier in partnership working.
3.3 Strategies to improve outcomes for partnership working
The strategies to improve the outcomes of partnership working in health and social care
organization is as follows, Developing effective communication: To improve the positive outcomes of partnership
working in health and social care organization development of effective communication
is essential. By developing effective communication between partners will help in
increasing efficient decision making and philosophy of empowerment. Moreover, good
interpersonal communication with service user can resolve many health issues of their. Collecting proper information: Another important strategy to improve the positive
outcomes of partnership working is gathering proper information from patients and health
care professionals as well. By the open platform of giving suggestions and feedback the
quality and services of the health and social care organization can be improved which
will lead the health care organization towards increased sales and profitability (Chapman,
Townson and Ledger, 2014).
 Shared responsibility: Furthermore, the strategies of shared responsibilities between
health care professionals and service users will also bring the effectiveness in services.
For instance, the service users have the responsibility to share all the health issues to the
health care professional. Moreover, health care professionals also have to responsibility
to provide effective treatment to service users. This shared responsibility of helping one
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another will improve the quality of health and social care organizations in UK (Stretch,
2012).
CONCLUSION
Hence, it is concluded in this report that there are many philosophies are there for health
and social care organization to maintain the relationship in health and social care organizations
while working in partnership. The maximum positive outcomes can be gained by effective
working partnership. There are various models of partnership such as unified model,
coordination model, coalition model, ideological partnership, problem oriented partnership and
ethical partnership etc. all these model plays significant roles and responsibilities in partnership
working (Cooney, 2002). Moreover, the government of UK has formed various legislation in
order to improve the quality of health and social care organization. These legislations are made
in various aspects of health and social care such as, to provide effective health and social care
service to people, to improve the quality of health care services in UK and to provide efficient
health care services to specific challenged people.
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REFERENCES
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Chapman, R., Townson, L. and Ledger, S., 2014. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP. Sexuality and
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Glasby, J., 2004. The Health and Social Care Divide. The Policy Press.
Kosar, L. J., and Rašeta, S., 2005. Challenges to quality - Quality management in hospitality
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Integrated Care.16(2). pp. 21–28.
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Online
Barriers to partnership working in public health: a qualitative study. 2014. [Online]. Available
through: <http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi
%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0029536>. [Accessed on 2nd December 2015].
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