Inter-Agency Working: Case Study Analysis and Cultural Needs in the UK

This report examines inter-agency working in healthcare, analyzing a case study involving an elderly woman, Mary, and her husband, Ted, who has dementia. The report evaluates multiple factors, including emotional, cultural, ethical, healthcare, social, legal, psychological, sociological, anthropological, political science, and economic aspects, influencing the case. It explores the cultural needs within UK communities, particularly regarding information sharing, and identifies key agencies involved, such as hospital staff, technical staff, mental health councils, and ambulance services. The report also delves into the attributes of effective multi-disciplinary teams, leadership skills, and various leadership models. Finally, it reflects on the author's learning regarding working with differing cultural needs within the communities involved, providing a comprehensive overview of the complexities of inter-agency collaboration in healthcare settings.

INTER -AGENCY
WORKING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Question: 1.......................................................................................................................................3
Evaluate multiple factors in given case study and differing cultural needs in communities in
UK while sharing information.....................................................................................................3
Information sharing as cultural problem......................................................................................6
Key agencies involved.................................................................................................................7
Question 2........................................................................................................................................8
Attributes of an effective multi-disciplinary team.......................................................................8
Skills of leader...........................................................................................................................10
Leadership models.....................................................................................................................11
QUESTION 3................................................................................................................................12
Reflection on what I have learnt in relation to working with the differing cultural needs of the
communities involved................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Inter-agency working is the collaboration process wherein more than two agencies works
together to achieve their common mission. There are various healthcare and social care agencies
which works in collaboration for giving better care to the client while keeping their information
confidential. In this report will analyse multiple factors in the given case study and differing
cultural needs in communities in the UK, especially when shares information.
Question: 1
Evaluate multiple factors in given case study and differing cultural needs in communities in UK
while sharing information
In the given case study Mary is elderly women who loves to do shopping so she goes by
council bus which is driven by volunteer. One day volunteer saw that Ted who is husband of
Mary, tied to chair when he asked to Mary about this incident, then she said that if she does not
tie her husband, in that state he can harm himself or cause fire in the property. In addition,
volunteer observed that Ted is so frail and cannot remember things while Mary had lost weight
ad often become depressed and anxious while sharing her situation with driver (a Bháird and
et.al., 2016). One day when council bus has out of bordered on the way of shopping centre then
Mary got anxious because her husband had been tired for few hours due to this, he became
dehydrated and unwell but she lied to doctor while hospitalized him. However, doctor was
advised to Mary that there are some community centres which may be enable to offer some
company or support to Mary whenever Mary go for shopping. But she said to adviser that she
can manage. When Volunteer asked Mary over the issues then she became upset and avoid to
talk. She said Ted as well not to share anything otherwise they will put us in nursing home,
wherein she never wants to go. Furthermore, in this case study highlighted that volunteer was the
third party who reported Mrs Mary’s information to Gill (Crawford Sullivan, 2019). However,
Gill consulted his friend who works in an aged care assessment team without disclosing Mary’s
identity. In addition, Gill decided to refer Mrs Mary and Ted to other without seeking their
consent. He contacted directly to council and local health service team to help Mrs. Mary and

Ted then social care assessment team assured Mrs marry and Ted that they were there to support
at the end, and offered dementia care package to the Ted.
From the case study can be understood that Mr Gill and Volunteer were working as inter-
agency. Gill and Volunteer were practised Health and Social Care Strategic Framework for
information sharing purpose. It is proposed by information sharing board (ISB) approach. In this
framework two and three agencies work in collaboration to share information about client to the
governor bodies. This framework comprises several elements such as building partnership, puts
people at the centre of care, apply information governance, develops using standards and
working collaboratively to drive progress. This framework helped Mr Gill to keep information of
Mary’s case confidential. In the given case study number of parties were working in
collaboration for example volunteer who drives council bus, was the assistant of Mr. Gill who
was the manager of health and social assessment teams (Demirhan, 2020). While doctor was also
in collaboration with Mr Gill agency that’s why he advised Mrs. Mary to communicate with a
community centre that will provide medication and company to Mr Ted in the absence of her.
Local health service team and council were the major inter agency who reassured Mrs Mary and
Ted that they were there to offer lifetime support while dementia package would support Mr Ted.
Thus, there were various peoples who were working in collaboration by practising sharing
information framework (Gandamihardja and et.al., 2019).
Multi factors in case study
 Emotional factor: In the case study of Mary and Ted emotional factor played vital role.
Due to this factor, urgency of medical assurance to Ted who is husband of Mary, was not
ready to admit him in healthcare centre. Emotional factor is very strong that resist
individuals to take crucial decision even it is essential. Emotional factor was the quite
dominating factor that did not permit Mary to send Ted away from her for the medical
treatment.
 Cultural factor: Cultural factor has played essential role in the given case study. Cultural
factor also highlights the fact that both husband and wife did not like to live away from
each other. So, it is evident to say that due to this factor Mary was not agreed to send his
husband (Ted) in the care centre while his husband tried to cure himself away from her
wife (Gunathilaka and Vidanapathirana, 2018).

 Ethical factor: In the given case study ethical factor also has involved. It outlines that it
was the ethical duty of Mary to cure her husband in such healthcare centre in the best
possible way. It was actually unethical practice to tied her husband whenever she goes for
shopping. The who scenario was unethical in the context of Mary in the given case study.
But voluntary driver was performed ethical responsibility to inform senior authority and
manager Gill as well who felt ethical to recommend some good healthcare solution in
respect of current situation of her husband, Ted.
 Health care factor: Healthcare is also important part of this case study. There is very
advanced healthcare system in UK which permits individuals to cure all the diseases in
efficient manner. Mary’s husband was suffering from dementia so he needed cure in
effective manner. This factor was essential in the given case study as at the end Mr Ted
was sent to medical centre due to manager involvement (Greenhalgh, 2016).
 Social factor: Social factor is also a part of Mary’s case study. There were various other
elements i.e. manager, driver and other social elements that also a major part of the case
study. Healthcare services also involved in different social elements i.e. medical staff are
the major of social elements which always a part of given case studies.
 Legal factor: This factor also considered in the given case study. It is the legal right of the
Mary’s husband to provide medical assurance against the disease. On the basis of given
information by manager Gill assistant, team started taking care of Ted as he has legal
right to treat against medical problems he is faced.
 Psychology factor: In order to develop leadership and multi-disciplinary team, it becomes
crucial to include different elements related with psychological factor. There are various
elements like motivation of team members, personality development of team members,
perspective, attitude, stress management, work management and other related elements.
All these key areas involved in information of multi-disciplinary team. leaders in a team
requires to cover all these parts of the psychological factor to develop an effective team
that can give best level of results.
 Sociology factor: There are various sociology elements like roles, socialization, team
dynamics, organizational power, communication pattern and other related elements
which have discussed in the given case study. All these factors put heavy impact on the
success and growth of multi-discipline and discipline. All these key elements enhances

the team culture and develop a positive atmosphere that can offer best quality outcomes
in the favour of company (Jennings and Astin, 2017).
 Anthropology factor: Arthrology is one of the essential elements that helps leadership and
multi-discipline to give the best results. In this factor involves various elements such as
organizational ritual, corporate culture and cross-cultural dynamics (Mohamed and et.al.,
2018). In case of developing multi-disciplinary, all these key elements related with
anthropology that plays a controlling role in the desirable of team formation.
 Political science factor: Political science factor plays important part of the development
of multi-disciplinary formation as well as leadership. It includes various elements such as
inter group conflicts, power and politics, decision-making process and coalition
formation like elements. In the case of team development, all these key factors play an
important role.
 Economics factor: Economic factor includes all different elements such as negotiation,
decision-making and power. All these key factors play essential role for development of
multi-disciplinary and disciplinary prospects (Moussa, 2020).
From the above-mentioned elements ae the key factors involved in the given case study.
Cultural need of UK
UK has a well-organized and diversified cultural in society. All religious values of people
exist in UK such as Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and other religions. In the healthcare
sector does not have any differentiation that exist on the ground of religion. Skills and education
professionals are the essential part of the healthcare sector but not on the ground of religion.
Healthcare sector does not associate with beliefs and religious values. UK’s people belong to all
different religious values which becomes part of the sector (Oderanti and Li, 2018). Healthcare
sector does not differentiate in it’s HR on the ground of the belief of employee.
Information sharing as cultural problem
In the healthcare sector information is very essential thing that requires to be shared by
the family member and patients to the healthcare professionals. To cure properly being patients,
it is essential for the doctors and care professionals to have entire information about patient then
they can treat patient effectively. All the information related to disease and cure process must be

shared with health professionals involved in the treatment of patient. Health professionals and
doctors in the healthcare sector treats patients based on the information patients give to such
people. professionals treat patient’s disease on the basis of given information effectively. In the
treatment procedure, health professionals and doctors take information from the patient in
professional manner and not down all effectively. It is also essential that patient must provide
fair information to the health professionals and also not provide any access to other in the
healthcare centre. It is one of the major roles of hospitality management to not disclose
confidential information of patients to other individuals who are not related with the patient.
Hospital staff should ensure that records and data are effectively protected by staff and hospital
management (Pershad and et.al., 2018). Staff like support staff, support workers should not allow
to know personal information of patients. It is important that staff and support worker must
aware in regards to the essential information associated with patients that can direct them in
meeting overall responsibility which they carry. If any person at the healthcare centre breaches
law of data protection act to disclose information of patient then possible actions will be taken
against individual or hospital management as per the data protection guideline. Information at
healthcare sector is also taken to keep record of patient’s health history. It is crucial in respect of
future treatments of patient.
Key agencies involved
There are various agencies that are involved in case of formation of multi-disciplinary.
 Hospital staff: It would become an essential part of the multi-disciplinary creation. Health
workers such as nurses, doctors and many others would become an essential part of the
formation of multi-disciplinary. Doctors, nurses etc. would be involved in curing patient
under the multi-disciplinary aspects.
 Technical staff: They would also be engaged to control the machinery of system.
Different machineries are also used to analyse patient’s health which is maintained by
technical staff.
 Mental health council & Ambulance services: It plays a key role in transporting patient
from one place to others. Ambulance service is used to transport patient from one
location to other through ambulance team (Rosell and et.al., 2019).

 Legal agencies: Legal agencies are also involved to ensure the protection of all legal
rights of patients which are allotted by legal structure of UK. they assure the protection of
all regulation in favour of patients.
 Government: Government plays vital role in formation of multi-disciplinary. Government
are the key stakeholders who affiliated with each and every functional activity.
Question 2
Attributes of an effective multi-disciplinary team
A multi-disciplinary team must have different positive attributes for offering best
survives in professional manner. In the case of Mary and Ted, the healthcare team was shown its
various attributes while working in the wellbeing of this team. There are some key attributes of
multi-disciplinary team have been mentioned which used in current situation of Ted and Mary.
 Humanistic: It is the prime attribute of the team, because in this situation the main goal of
team is to offer proper healthcare support to this couple (Ted and Mary) by offering them
dementia care package. This attribute is basically demonstrating the positive image of
this team.
 Helpful: In this modern world, people think about themselves, and only fewer people
exists in the market who really wants to work in the welfare of society. In this state,
multi-disciplinary team has taken decision to offer an effective healthcare support to
Mary and Ted without the goal of achieving any benefit.
 Punctual: The healthcare team is very punctual in it’s job role and responsibility, because
when the healthcare team got message of volunteer through the manager, at that time
team has taken quick action over this matter. Team timely reached in the house of Ted
and Mary for giving them proper support of healthcare support after knowing their exist
situation. This attribute of team is very excellent because a multi-disciplinary team
always needed to offer best healthcare support to people on time (Selby and et.al., 2019).
Effect of leadership within the team
Leadership mostly plays effective role in a team, so that in the case of Mary and his
husband, the leader of health service team has influenced to it’s different team members for

visiting the house of Mary to know real situation of her husband. It denotes leadership of
healthcare team was quite effective as compared others that’s why their team members work on
this project in professional manner. On the other hand, most of the members of the team have
good interaction values because of having an effective leader. When this team has visited at
Mary’s house, then members have communicated directly with couple in effective manner, So
that they become capable to offer the healthcare support to this couple Mary and Ted.
Existing team leaders has efficient knowledge about the impact of dementia, so, leader of
this team has given quick decision for visiting Mary’s home with it’s team members. Ethically,
healthcare service and team provider always has needed to give different healthcare services on
time when people really want their support. In this current state, leaders of multi-disciplinary
team have taken quick decision for visiting in the Mary’s house to offer them proper support
relating to healthcare centre on time. Each healthcare team must have an effective team leader
because such leaders mostly offer proper guidance to its different team members and how to
handle different healthcare situations.
Role of multi-disciplinary team
Multi-disciplinary teams play various key roles and responsibilities such as:
Digestion: Team always take care of the patient’s digestion. Team requires to keep control
over the digestion of patients. It is crucial stage of treatment process. Healthcare centre
required to take care of the Mary’s husband, Ted digestion in the treatment process.
 Mental health: Hospital staff needs to control the mental health of the Mary’s
husband. Mental heath plays vital role in overall results of the cure process. In case of
treatment process, mental heath is required to be positive for both family and
members and patients. Mental health of both Mary and Ted are required to be
controlled in order to treat Ted effectively.
 Ageing care: Team also require to keep control of ageing care of patient. This factor
enhances whole cure process of patient. Healthcare team takes care of ageing effect of
the patient while curing the patient.

 Counsellor: Counsellor is the vital part of team. Counsellor directly consults with the
patient about whole cure process. He recommends the treatment, medicines and all
other aspects of the treatment process.
 Counsellor involves doctors, therapists and many other individuals. Integrated
working: The healthcare procedure is an integrated practice. There are various
agencies that involves in the case so that patient can give proper treatment. This
process needs different teams to be involved so that effective treatment can be
granted to the patient.
Skills of leader
In the current scenario of Mary and Ted, the leader of healthcare service team has used its
different skills and abilities to give appropriate services to Ted. These helped to leader for
encouraging its team to quickly visit the Mary’s house to help her husband (Mielczarek and
Zabawa, 2016). Some major skills of leader have been discussed below which it used for
supporting its team as well as Ted.
Communication skills: Current team leader of multi-disciplinary team has very effective and
well-developed skills of communication. By using these skills, the leader was successfully given
some key instructions to its team members relating to healthcare support of Ted. On the other
side, by using communication skills, leader was enabled to convince Ted and Mary for taking
proper healthcare support from the team. According to present situation of Mary’s husband, he
highly needs to take dementia care package to overcome this healthcare weakness. When the
team visited Ted’s house, then leader aware this couple about the role of care package in dealing
with this sickness by communicating with them (Song, Gu and Cooke, 2020).
Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence ability also exists inside leader of multi-
disciplinary team, because leader’s this ability or skill was motivated itself for helping of
supporting this couple (Ferrand and et.al., 2016). According to different healthcare professionals,
when any person has proper ability of emotional intelligence, then it can be simply understood
the pain of people relating to healthcare. This is the main reason, the leader and its whole team
quickly visited Ted’s house for providing him dementia care package.
Types of professional contact with

There are various contracts that have to signed by the patient. Contracts such as
healthcare contract. Insurance, dementia and many other contracts are the major part of
healthcare treatment. All these contracts involve in the treatment process to give the perfect
treatment to the patient. Formal: Different formal career part of the healthcare. These are related
with the doctor, therapists and many other professionals related with healthcare sector. They play
effective role in the cure of patients. Informal: Informal career such as technician, ambulance
staff and many other associated with careers that involves in healthcare sector. They also play
indirect role in the treatment of patient.
Leadership models
Some major models of leadership have discussed below which has been used by leader of
team in the case of Ted.
Ethical leadership model: According to this model, each leader has to work with ethical values
for gaining appropriate results, so these values are completely followed the existing leader of
team.
Transformational model of leadership: This is another major model which is fully considered
by leader while providing healthcare services to Ted. Basically, this model helps to leaders for
transforming themselves according to current conditions.
Relevant models and concepts
Sweden's care model is completely relating with the Ted and Mary’s case. This Sweden’s
model of care is basically developed by the healthcare ministry of Sweden which informs that
each people within the country has full right to take proper healthcare services to make its health
very effective and productive. In the case of Mary, the multi-disciplinary team also does the
same thing that, it visited at Mary’ house on time for knowing current condition of her husband.
After meeting with Ted, the team leader realised that, he has required to proper healthcare
service to get well very soon. That’s why this team was provided him the dementia care package
to support Ted to overcome this sickness.
Professionals code of ethics and standard

In the current scenario, ethics and standards has completely followed the multi-
disciplinary team, because when a person got the licence of be a healthcare professional within
the United Kingdom, then it will fully responsible to provide proper healthcare services to a
patient in any condition, at any place or in any time (Schrooten and de Jong, 2017). In case, if
any healthcare professional not works properly in order to provide healthcare services to people,
then it is completely violating the healthcare ethics and standard. But in the case of Ted and
Mary, the multi-disciplinary team followed all ethics and standard of healthcare in very proper
manner, because when its timely reach at patient’s house, and communicate with him for
providing him appropriate services. At the end, after knowing whole condition of Ted, the team
was provided him “dementia care package”. This is the main reason that, ethics and standards
was completely considered in the current scenario.
QUESTION 3
Reflection on what I have learnt in relation to working with the differing cultural needs of the
communities involved
For reflection on this topic, here is Gibbs model of reflection is used.
Gibbs reflective cycle
This model is developed by Graham Gibbs in year 1988, in which this model aware
people about five major stages of reflection. So that all five stages of this is described below;
Description
I have learnt many new things in relation to work with the differing cultural needs of the
communities. The recent work aware me about each person has right to take proper healthcare
services to make its health very excellent. I have learnt that, how a person reacts when it is
suffering from dementia. This healthcare issue is really badly affected to a person.
Feelings
I felt that, people still scared for staying in the healthcare centre to overcome any
sickness, because in the recent case, a lady maned Mary was very scared to live in a nursing
centre for providing proper healthcare support to her husband. Basically, Mary’s husband is
suffering from dementia, and this sickness has badly affected to him (Stone and Waldron, 2019).

Evaluation
I have learnt that, people within society has different perceptions and mentality which has
impacted to the while taking any decision. For example; Mary’s perception was that, if she and
Ted go to nursing or healthcare centre for overcome dementia issue, then different professionals
of healthcare will torture them during them during providing healthcare services. While
participating in the multi-disciplinary team, I realised that, people’s needs relating to culture
affects them while taking healthcare services. In the last case of Mary and her husband, I met
with many people who belongs to different communities.
Conclusions
According to me, it can be concluded that; communities’ background encourages people
about how to behave in daily life. I also realised that, still many people present in the society
which always be highly motivated to work in the welfare of society. The main reason behind this
statement is that, many people within my team of healthcare service was taken quick actions for
supporting Ted during its poor health condition. I have performed very excellent in the recent
teamwork of healthcare, but I still need to develop some of my areas of practice in order to work
more better within a multicultural community and in a multi-disciplinary team. For example; I
don’t have proper decision-making and problem-solving issues. In this situation, I should take
quick actions towards developing these skills to gain positive outcomes while working in a
healthcare service team.
Action
In this dynamic and modern world, there are lots of effective techniques available to me
which can support me for developing these weak skills, called; problem-solving and decision-
making (Anderson, Rayburn and Sierra, 2019). For example; I can make an effective action plan
to me for developing these skills, because currently many people use this technique to develop
their personality and professionalism. On the other side, I can join a training centre where trainer
will support me in developing these undeveloped skills, so that this is another productive
technique to me. I should quickly adopt and implement these techniques of development to
perform very well in the future practices of a multicultural community and a multi-disciplinary
team.

CONCLUSION
It can be summarized that Mary’s husband Ted was really suffering from the dementia
but Mrs Mary did not want to take her husband in the healthcare service centre because she
highly scared to leave her husband in the care centre. However, a local healthcare service team
understood this matter through a volunteer and then the leader of this team for reaching this
couple to know real health issues. Then, this team has offered dementia care package for
supporting him to deal with health issues. However, Sweden’s care framework is related with
Mary’s case.

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