Health and Social Care: Evaluating Partnership Working

This report delves into the critical role of partnerships within the health and social care (HSC) sector. It begins by exploring the philosophies underpinning successful partnerships, such as empowerment, power-sharing, independence, autonomy, and informed choice, and their impact on both organizations and individuals. The report then examines the application of these philosophies, using the example of Royal Hospital London to illustrate the benefits of joint ventures and collaborations. It analyzes various models of partnership, including unified, coalition, coordination, and hybrid models, and discusses relevant legislations and policies, such as the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The report also addresses potential barriers to effective partnership working, such as differences in working practices, objectives, and procedures, and offers suggestions for improvement, emphasizing the importance of communication, shared goals, and understanding of roles. Ultimately, the report highlights the significance of partnerships in improving the quality of care and delivering better health and social services to patients.

Working in partnership

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1...........................................................................................................................................1
(a) Partnership philosophies and their impact on firm and individuals.......................................1
(b) As a manager evaluate partnership relationships...................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
(a) Analysis the models of partnership........................................................................................3
(b) Legislations and policies follow before attempting to work in partnership...........................5
(c) The two sets of differences to work collaboratively together................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
(a) Evaluate the possible outcome of partnership in working for each group.............................7
(b) Potential barriers while working in partnership in HSC........................................................8
(c) Suggestions for improving partnership working....................................................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Philosophies of working in partnership in health and social care....................................1
Figure 2: Models of partnership......................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
In the modern arena, partnership is essential for an individual and organizations to
adequate use of skills, finance and other resources in a significant manner. The main aim of this
report is to enhance understanding about importance of partnership with others in health and
social care. Furthermore, report discusses about partnership philosophies and outcomes of
partnership working for users in HSC. In the context of improving quality and delivering better
health and care services to their patients, it is necessary for organization to promote education
about diseases and explore outcomes of partnership in a significant manner.
TASK 1
(a) Partnership philosophies and their impact on firm and individuals
(i) Exploring the philosophy of working in partnership in health and social care
 Empowerment: It is designed as an educational process in order to enhance self-
awareness, knowledge and skills in a significant manner. This philosophy can be applied
for the purpose of recognizing the needs and critical issues that are the most effective
agents of change in health and social care (Lloyd and Marjorie, 2010). The main motto of
applying this philosophy is to reduce dependency upon the nursing and hospital staff. In
order to overcome different types of issues including problem solving, stress management
and social support, this philosophy can be beneficial for patients in health and social care
in a proficient manner.
Figure 1: Philosophies of working in partnership in health and social care
 Power sharing: In order to address the emotional, cognitive and physical needs of an
individual in HSC, this philosophy can be helpful for enterprise. By sharing the power or
delegating the responsibilities, enterprises can be able to enhance morale of an individual
one in a proper way (Reeves, Lewin and Espin, 2011). It can be helpful in term of dealing
with the medical challenges and offers quality of health-care services to their patients
within stipulated time.
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 Independence: By creating healthy working environment, health care practitioners can
provide better platform to end-users to express their satisfaction level with health-care
services offer by health and social care enterprise (Zakariasen and et. al., 2008).
 Autonomy philosophy: This philosophy provides opportunity to an individual to change
the environment and freedom to select and implement resources for self-interest.
 Informed choice: In the context of taking quality decisions at workplace such as health
and social care services and take decision on welfare, this philosophy can be employed
by health care professionals (Miller, Whoriskey and Cook, 2008).
(ii) Link of establish with other to develop joint venture provision
For example, Royal hospital London is facing several issues at workplace including lack
of communication between patients and health care practitioners, and services offer by hospital
for their patients. In the absence of communication platform, patients are unable to ask questions
related to their health and share their health related with care practitioners. In addition, shortage
of nursing staff and longer gap in treatment of patients are the major constraints which are
occurred in hospital due to lack of collaborations among patients and HSC experts (Sheldon,
2011). In such kind of circumstances, hospital was done contract with University College
London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) to provide analytics services and reducing
issues faced by enterprise in its day to day health care operations. By increasing staff-members,
firm would be able to deliver better healthcare services to their patients within stipulated time
without any interruption (Royal Free London, 2013). In order to recruit large amount of skillful
employees for solving patient problems, company can use both traditional and social media
marketing channels in a significant manner. In addition, by establishing collaboration between
different departments, company would be able to enhance satisfaction level of customers. By
regular counseling, enterprise can be able to solve long gap in treatment of patient problems
effectively (Clover, 2015). Along with this, Royal hospital is established joint venture with
specialist trust to build health expert team and enhancing quality and efficiency in health and
social services of enterprise in the modern arena. In the context of meeting the individual needs
of service users, partnership relationship with service users and proper communication between
health care practitioners and patients are required.
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(b) As a manager evaluate partnership relationships
(i) With the users of service: On the basis of awareness and requirements of vulnerable
people about health and social care services offer by firm to them, partnership relationship can be
measured. For example, Mid- Staffordshire NHS Trust and other enterprise s are facing issues
due to poor partnership with agencies and professionals (Lee, 2008). In the absence of effective
work collaboration with health care agencies, care practitioners are struggling to give more
reliable and support to people who are facing mental health related issues.
(ii) With externals individuals: It is necessary for organization to meet expectations of social
workers, educationalists and support workers by delivering quality of health and care services to
them on time (Sheldon, 2011). In the absence of collaboration and communication between
service providers and service users, health and social care enterprises would be able to easily
examine the problems of them and provides quick solution to them.
(iii) With other organizations: By working with other enterprises and taking help of HSC
experts, companies would be able to recognize strengths and weaknesses of the firm. For
example, Royal hospital London was done partnership with NHS trust and other NGO’s to
improve its own services (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2009). With
help of this partnership, enterprise was able to improve its analytics process that help company in
managing large amount of data in a safe and secure manner.
TASK 2
(a) Analysis the models of partnership
In present era, different types of models of partnerships can be applied that can be enlisted as
follow.
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Figure 2: Models of partnership
 Unified model: This model provides strategic direction to enterprise so that it can attain
its aim and objectives and delivering better quality of health and social services to their
patients. In different situations including lowering the delay charges, developing
integrating system and reducing waiting time, this model can be helpful for company.
 Coalition model: In this model, enterprises are operated jointly and collaborating with
other firms for a common purpose (Birnbaum, 2012). For example, Ottawa Community
Health and Resource Centre is working with other health and social care firms in meeting
local community and regional health care needs effectively.
 Coordination model: In this model, organization operates in an autonomous way and its
main purpose is to provide staffing and training activity in order to improve health and
social care services effectively (Emerson, 2012). In order to solve patient's problems and
implement HSC operations properly, different units or health care experts worked
together at one place.
 Hybrid model: It is a combination of various models and it is applied when none of the
model is separately dominated. For the purpose of smooth functioning and deliver better
treatment of mental health patients, combination of different models can be beneficial for
organization.
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Apart from the partnership models, enterprise can also consider different partnership theories
like humanistic theory can be beneficial for HSC companies in term of taking better decisions
and offer world class healthcare services to its patients in a significant manner. A multi-area
agreement (MAA) can be employed to cross boundary partnership working at regional and sub-
regional’s level (Haworth and et.al., 2002). In UK different enterprises including Leicester and
Leicestershire, West of England Partnership and Olympic Boroughs are worked as MAA to
improve local economic prosperity. On the other hand, Local-Area-Agreement (LAA) is a three
year agreement between a local area working enterprise and central government to improve HSC
services of enterprises. Joint working agreement is done between two companies to achieve and
their commitment to work together (Healy and Dugdale, 2009). It can be considered as
memorandum of understanding (MoU) or a formal agreement to regulate in partnership
effectively.
(b) Legislations and policies follow before attempting to work in partnership
In UK, different types of legislations are framed to improve working practices on health
and social care. In addition, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 act was framed to promote
effective and efficient service provision and improve quality of care in HSC. In addition, Mental
Capacity Act 2005 was developed to deliver better services to mental patients at stipulated time.
After reviewing the problems faced by Royal hospital London, it can be said that services of firm
was not satisfactory and it affects health of an individual one negatively. Moreover, with the help
of joint effort and partnership, hospital would be able to offer better treatment of mental patients
in a significant manner (Morgan,2013). Besides that, Care Quality Commission Regulation 2009
was developed to provide high quality and deliver effective work to the clients at right time. In
such of crucial situation, it is requirement for company to follow statutory, voluntary and private
working practices in order to deliver best practice in health and social care. Through establishing
agreements with local authorities and special agencies better services can be provided to patients
effectively (Williams, Nader and Hickey, 2011). For example, adult safeguarding boards and
youth offending teams are developed to risk assessment on health and social care and shaping the
smooth operation of health care operations. As a manager of residential care home, it is essential
to review practices & policies while working with external agencies in a significant manner.
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(c) The two sets of differences to work collaboratively together
In the context of improving health and care setting, numerous acts at national, local,
regional policies are followed in health and care organizations in the UK. However, when
enterprises and professionals are worked collaborative and joined then different types of issues
such as confusions for the healthcare professionals, change come in organization policies,
confusion and poor outcome (Lloyd and Marjorie, 2010). These types of numerous problems can
create hurdle for HSC enterprises and professionals to deliver quality of health care services to
patients at right time. As a manager perspective in health and social care, impact of change can
be described as follow.
(i) Difference in working practices: An individual enterprise has own structure and if firm and
HSC professional work in collaboration then it is difficult for them to convert diverse
organizational objectives into integrate one. Emergence of communication gaps and delay in
health care treatments can create hurdle for enterprises in order to attain aim and objectives in a
significant manner. For example, when various organizations healthcare practitioners worked
together then difference arises in their working practice and services offer to patients. In
addition, health care professionals can encounter problems due to lack of understanding of their
specific role and responsibilities at workplace (Birnbaum, 2012). However, along with some
limitations of difference in working practices, different benefits will be raised including establish
a common purpose to deliver better healthcare treatment to individual service users. Despite of
that, due to presence of multi-specialty care professionals at one place, needs of service users and
their families will be fulfilled in a proficient manner.
(ii) Differences objectives, policies and procedures
While working in a group and joined with other enterprises, it is essential for healthcare
professionals to understand the central goals and common purpose. Without understanding
common goals and objectives, care practitioners would be unable to establish a combined
strategic direction and convert diverse objectives of firms into integrate one effectively. In
addition, variation comes in philosophies, values and organizational background can also create
hurdle for healthcare professionals in order to deliver better services to them (Sheldon, 2011). In
such kind of circumstance, it is necessary for organizations and their staffs to understand the
objectives and aims of joint working and overcome the negative impact of changes in
organizational policies and procedures in a proper way. For example, Royal hospital was tied up
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with NHS trust to improve the HSC services (Sayers and et. al., 2008). However, in the absence
of common policies and objectives, both enterprises and care practitioners would be unable to
meet individual service user needs. Moreover, by fulfilling responsibilities and following code of
conduct related to safeguarding and equality, enterprises and health and care practitioners will
able to overcome difference arise due to working jointly in the diverse world.
TASK 3
(a) Evaluate the possible outcome of partnership in working for each group
The impact of health and social care partnership working can be analyzed in three
different levels that can be understood as follow.
(i) Users of the organization’s services
Through working in partnership, service users will be able to get better services from
medical centers within stipulated time. Besides that, collaborative working will be helpful for
care practitioners to reduce chances of errors and improve efficiency level of treatment. For
example, mental patients are facing various problems during their treatments like quality of
treatment, better service and communication gaps up to great extent (Emerson, 2012). These
kinds of problems affect service users both directly and indirectly. The negative impact of this
can be seen in forms of suffering from psychological and physical abuses and fail to monitor the
health screening task properly. Furthermore, positive impact of working in partnership can be
seen in form of improving service empowerment and taking appropriate decision making within
stipulated time (Lloyd and Marjorie, 2010). For example, if better health and care services will
not offer to service users then they will frustrate and their negative feeling come out in forms of
anger, abuse and harm for their family members and professionals.
(ii) Outside professionals operating within workplace
The negative outcome of partnership in working at workplace from professional
perspectives can be seen in term of failing to diagnose patients on time. In addition, without
considering and implementing equality and safeguarding practices properly, health and social
care practitioners would be unable to handle diverse issues like mental health and diabetes
(Williams, Nader and Hickey, 2011). Without assessing risks and target setting, firm would be
unable to offer better treatment and solve patients in a quick manner (Healy and Dugdale, 2009).
However, these kinds of problems can be solved by health care professionals through scheduling
of activities and working together to reduce the chance of errors. Positive outcome of working in
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partnership for professionals can be seen in forms of clear roles and responsibilities in handling
day to day health care services and reducing duplication in treatments so they better facilities
will be offered to their patients within stipulated time.
(iii) External organization involved
When HSC enterprise will work with agencies and other firms then it is required for
companies and professionals to take proper follow up action. By working together, enterprises
would be able to apply coherent approach and establishing common practices so that day to day
operations of organization will be speedup (Birnbaum, 2012).Through working with external
agencies, organizations will be able to take advantages of integrate services in term of adequate
utilizations of resources such as infrastructure, doctors and equipments etc. For example,
different companies are processed diverse information for attaining their aim and objectives. In
the absence of poor collaboration and coordination, enterprise would be unable to make
decisions in achieving shared purpose within stipulated time (Sayers and et. al., 2008). However,
negative impact of working in partnership can be highlighted in different forms such as
communication breakdown, time wasting, increased cost and disjoint service provision etc.
(b) Potential barriers while working in partnership in HSC
In health and social care sector, partners who work jointly may face several types of
issues that can create adverse impact on professionals and the life of patients. Lack of
understanding of roles and responsibilities can occur as major hurdle while working in a
partnership in HSC. In the absence of it, duplication of role performed by the healthcare agencies
and improper execution of plan problems will occur. In addition, due to lack of communication
between patients and health care professionals, care practitioners would be failed to solve health
care issues of patients and it will create hurdles in successful allocation of healthcare services to
people within stipulated time (Leroy, 2014). In the absence of adequate amount of funds, firms
and HSC practitioners will fail to support the business operations and investing in new health
care services. Despite of that, willingness of health and social care organizations and lack of
expertise and knowledge of doctors are the other major issues will rise as hurdle for
organizations while working in partnership with other companies (Emerson, 2012). For
example, if enterprise will use outdates technology then health care practitioners would unable to
deliver best services to the young age people within stipulated time.
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(c) Suggestions for improving partnership working Partnership with service users: In this regard, they should emphasize on improving their
communication skills. It will help them to better interact with patients and solve their
problems in a quick manner (Morgan, 2013). By motivating them for sharing information
and establishing better relationship with them, HSC experts can motivate patients to share
their views and express their problems so that better services will be delivered to them.
 Partnership with Professionals: Model of empowerment and shared decision making &
awareness strategy should be implemented in HSC to create healthy working
environment (Haworth and et.al., 2002). By sharing risk assessment plan and enhancing
awareness and training, healthcare professionals would be able to prevent health care
issues and any hazard or abuse effectively.
 Partnership with Organization: In modern arena, it is necessary for any enterprise to
jointly work with other organizations to share responsibility and proper utilization of
resources in a significant manner. For accomplishing organizational goals and objectives,
it is required for organizations to maintain better relationship with other agencies to set
high machineries and equipments so that quick services will be delivered to their patients
within stipulated time (Lee, 2008). Moreover, different legislations including Equality
Act 2010, Care Standard Act 2000 and Mental Health Act 2010 can be helpful for
organizations to evaluate the standards of services and better understand satisfaction and
dissatisfaction pattern of people.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of the present report, it can be concluded that working in partnership is
beneficial for companies and individual professional to overcome communication gap and
deliver quick services to their patients on time. Besides that, it is identified that poor skills, lack
of communication, willingness of health and social care organizations and unclear roles and
responsibilities of staff-members are the major barriers raised in working in partnership. Inter-
agency working, healthcare philosophies and proper implementation of HSC legislations
strategies would be beneficial for enterprises and professionals to improve health and social care
settings effectively.
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