An Analysis of Support Work in Social Care: Roles, Safety and Teamwork

This report delves into the essential roles and responsibilities of non-direct care workers within the social care sector, focusing on their contributions to patient care and operational efficiency at the Highgate Care Home in London. The report explores the diverse duties of these workers, includin...Read More

SUPPORT WORK IN
SOCIAL CARE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1 Role of non-direct care workers.............................................................................................1
P2 Interpersonal skills required by non-direct care workers.......................................................2
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................2
P3 Role of non-direct care workers in operation of team...........................................................2
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................3
P4 Responsibilities of non-direct care workers in maintaining safety and security in the caring
environment.................................................................................................................................3
P5 Significance of supervision and management in development of non-direct care workers...4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
.........................................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Their is no doubt that role of care workers in very important in health and social care
sector. But, with time, significance of non-direct care personnel has increased because they also
play crucial role in provide effective facilities to the service users (Aveyard, 2014). The highgate
care home is present in London, they are known for their work in nursing. This assignment will
discuss about various responsibilities of non-direct care employees in social care environment.
This report will also cover significance of working in a team along with the role of these worker
at the time of maintaining heath and safety.
LO 1
P1 Role of non-direct care workers
Every service user have basic idea about the work of doctors and nursing staff. But
significance of non-direct carers has grown with time because of their increasing responsibilities.
Below are role of different workers:
Office staff – Receptionist, administrators are accountable for resolving various kind of
queries which come in the mind of service users. They have to provide them detail about bills,
availability of rooms and other important information. At The highgate care home, office staff
take feedbacks from patients and their attendants regarding hygiene, treatment process and some
other facilities which is provided by this organisation.
Maintenance – Employees responsible for cleaning and gardening are basically
responsible for keeping environment clean and maintaining hygiene in the care home. Normally
old age people come in this organisation for treatment, their immunity power is low and they are
not vulnerable to unhealthy environment (Dickinson and O'Flynn, 2016). Cleaning staff through
all the used injection and medicines in dustbins and they are accountable for washing bedsheets
and pillow covers. Gardner is responsible for maintaining beauty of the garden.
Security staff – It is the role of security personnel to check identity card of every person
who is entering in the premises of building. They are accountable for stopping the activities
related to theft and injuries.
Driver – They are responsible for safe driving service user for one place to another. If
patient forget their belonging in vehicle then it is their duty to hand it over at reception.
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P2 Interpersonal skills required by non-direct care workers
Their is generally perception that non-direct care workers do not need much knowledge
or talent but this is an incorrect thinking. Below are some of interpersonal skills which is
essential from these personnels:
Verbal communication skills – People who are non directly involved in health and care
sector require proper tone and pace of the language which they are speaking in-front of service
users. With this, they must have fine listening skills so they can understand the requirements of
patients and their attendants. Non-direct care worker should also have knowledge about slang
because they have now become part of regional language.
Non-verbal communication skills – Body language speaks a lot. Employees have to learn
various ways for keeping a positive attitude so they so they can remove unnecessary tension
from the mind of service users. Non-direct care personnels must wear proper uniform and focus
on fine presentation of work. This is crucial part of interpersonal skills because cloth are known
for creating first impression (Hewitt, Sims and Harris,2014).
Apply care values – These workers must learn techniques of maintaining confidentiality.
They should promote equality and diversity at the workplace because it is essential for
organisational performance and image. Another interpersonal skills which is required in non-
direct care workers is the talent to promoting right and beliefs of an individual.
LO 2
P3 Role of non-direct care workers in operation of team
Highgate care home make different kind of units in order to provide better service to the
patients and old people. Below are some of the responsibilities of care-workers:
Supervision – Employees who are not directly connected with care service play
significant role in supervising that whether demands of clients are getting fulfilled in appropriate
time or they are facing any trouble. When nursing team give medicine or injections to patients,
non-direct care worker are responsible for cleaning wrappers and through used equipments in
dustbin. Catering staff is accountable for getting list of nutrients which should present in food of
service users. They should also stop patients from eating unhealthy meals as it may negatively
impact their health (Lowes and Hulatt, 2013).
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Maintaining confidentiality – Team members has to make sure that they do not reveal any
critical information in public or to someone who can harm organisation. They are accountable
for giving any information to the authorised person with leaking any significant content.
Report concern – Conflicts are part of every team. It is the responsibility of non-direct
care workers to report any concerns relating to negligence to appropriate authority. If they see
that nursing staff or any other employee in team is abusing service user or their family members
then they should register a complain in-front of management (Makai and et. al., 2014).
Whistle-blowing – If employees find that something wrong in organisation or in their
team then they are accountable to raise particular issue in-front of the relevant authority.
LO 3
P4 Responsibilities of non-direct care workers in maintaining safety and security in the caring
environment
Hygiene can be considered as a big issue in The Highgate care home. Among all non-
direct care workers, cleaning staff is responsible for dumping waste like sharps and clinical
equipments. It is their responsibility to identify and remove hazardous conditions and follow the
norms which are mentioned in Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005. Like of all other employees,
they have to make sure that they maintain a high level secrecy which is management expect from
them and mentioned in Data protection act 1998. Development of a safe storage is very
important for keeping for assuring safety at the care home. Employees has to comply with
provisions which are mentioned in health and safety at Work Act 1974.
Management has provided various equipments to non-direct care workers, they are
responsible for using these equipment as it is necessary for providing effective service.
Monitoring of outsiders is one of the main responsibility of security personnel. They are
accountable for finding unsafe areas and secure boundaries of organisation. People who are
responsible for security are accountable for taking care of all the equipments which are present in
care-home, like motor vehicles, domestic appliances etc. It is the duty of security staff to
maintain records of all entries and exits (Pollock and et. al., 2012).
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P5 Significance of supervision and management in development of non-direct care workers
If employees know that they work is being supervised by senior then they try to give their
best and do allotted task in better way. Importance of supervision and management in mentioned
below:
Better working relation – Non-direct personnel are not directly connected with patients
but they can accomplish the task of improving working relationship among organisation by
support carers.
Better relation with service users - When management provide training like for
developing soft skills, then workers get basic idea about how to make good connection with
service users.
Low employee turnover – Retention of workers is a big problems in non-direct care
personnels. If management keep attention to the development of these worker then they would
not face the problem like job satisfaction and overload of work (Pulsford and et. al., 2013). This
result in increment in employee retention rate.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that people responsible for non-direct care
have to play an important role in healthcare sector. If their development is properly supervised
then it they can do their work like cleaning, gardening, maintaining security is effective way.
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REFERENCES
Aveyard, H., 2014. Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide.
McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Dickinson, H. and O'Flynn, J., 2016. Evaluating Outcomes in Health and Social Care 2e. Policy
Press.
Hewitt, G., Sims, S. and Harris, R., 2014. Using realist synthesis to understand the mechanisms
of interprofessional teamwork in health and social care. Journal of Interprofessional
Care.28(6). pp.501-506.
Lowes, L. and Hulatt, I. eds., 2013. Involving service users in health and social care research.
Routledge.
Makai, P. and et. al., 2014. Quality of life instruments for economic evaluations in health and
social care for older people: a systematic review. Social science & medicine. 102. pp.83-
93.
Pollock, A. M. and et. al., 2012. How the Health and Social Care Bill 2011 would end
entitlement to comprehensive health care in England. The Lancet. 379(9814). pp.387-
389.
Pulsford, D. and et. al., 2013. Classroom-based and distance learning education and training
courses in end-of-life care for health and social care staff: a systematic review. Palliative
medicine. 27(3). pp.221-235.
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