Working in partnership is a key component of practice within health and social care services. Carnwell and Buchanan (2004) define it as working relationship where more than one professional work together to improves the lives of vulnerable adults and children within health and social care system. For partnership working to be effective, several key elements must be observed by the Staffs within health and social care system. These elements are describes by Scie (2016) as essence of partnership and they includes respects for one another, empowerment, Joint decision making, sharing of power, independence and respect for one another. It is important in partnership that partners respect each other. The presences of respect in a partnership relationship make it easier for the partners to work collaboratively. Staffs within health and social care sector should therefore embrace respects for each other so as to maximize the success of partnership working relation (Carnwell and Buchanan 2004, Scie 2016). Had the Nurse in Stafford Hospital respected patients and viewed them as partner, they should have been able to work collaboratively with them and other workers to improve the life of the vulnerable adults and children.
Partnership should also be based on the premise of empowerment. Partners should empower each others (Carnwell and Buchanan 2004). For instance, in the adult, A case scenario, had the local police, local authority and health and social care empowered each other with relevant resources including information, better protection should have been provided to adults A.
Another essential element of partnership working is sharing of power. This requires the patients and professionals to work together to select tests, treatments and support packages based on patient preferences; clinician experience and research evidence (Scie 2016). Had the nurse in the Strafford hospital viewed patients as equal partners, they would have been able to work together with them in finding best way to meet patients’ needs. Regrettably, this did not happen as the nurses were unwilling to share power with their patients.
Equally, independence of partner is another essential of partnership working. While working in partnership it is important that each partner respect the independences of the others partners. This allows member to remain fully committed in the partnership without losing their ability to govern themselves (Carnwell and Buchanan 2004, Scie 2016).
Evaluate the partnership relation within health and social care
There are two type of partnership relation that can be found with health and social sector; the clients- professional partnership relation and the Multi-agencies relation. In the Client – professional relationship, the healthcare professional and patients work together to determine test, treatment and support package based in patients preference, clinical experience and Research evidence (Scie 2016). This partnership relation has several benefits. First, it put patients at the centre of practices. This ensures that patients’ needs are fully satisfied. Secondly, the patients feel empowered and value hence better satisfaction with services. Thirdly, patient choice and preferences are respected and promoted. Regrettably, this form partnership relation was lacking in Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. The nurse never worked together with patients. In fact, Patients were assaults and their health and wellbeing needs were never met. Were it not for the death of one patient which trigger the “Cure NHS campaign”, the neglect and abuse on patients would not have been recognised by the management. Had the nurse worked in partnership with the patients, better service could have been delivered to meet patients’ needs.
The multi-agencies partnership relation, different professionals or agents work together to improves the patients’ quality of life (Atkinson 2007). If well utilised, Multi agencies partnership relation helps meet patients’ needs in a holistic manner. Equally, partners are also empowered to better perform their responsibilities (Pollard et al 2014). Regrettably, the above benefits were not realized in both the adult A case as this form of partnership relation was not formed. In this case, the police and Health and social care never shared information nor consulted with each in caring and protecting the late adult A. Although, the police said it was in regular contact with the victim and his family, It never consulted the health and social care services to determine whether the victim was physically assault or not. If this was done, the police, local authority and health and social care services should have been in a better position to protect Adults A from the frequent harassment and assault from gangs as well meeting his health and well being needs.
2.1 Analyse models of partnership working across the health and social care sector
Within the health and social care setting, there are several models of partnership that are used. These include the Hybrid model, the unified model and coordinated model. The unified model is based on the premise of amalgamation. In this model, the management, staffing and training and budgeting structure of partners are amalgamate to delivery fully integrated services from one site and under one management (White 2005). In the coalition model, the management, staffing, and training work in a federated partnership allied together, put the key operation are done separately. In other words, partners using this model plan together, their management are allies of each other but they operate separately. The advantaged of this model is that partners are able to fully maintain their independent (White 2005). In the coordinated model, the management training and staffing structure of partners are synchronised for harmonious service delivery but remain individually distinct (White 2005).
In the Strafford hospital case scenario, the unified model was in place. In this case, the health and social care services were amalgamated together under one management i.e. Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. Regrettably, this management failed to ensure this unified model of partnership work correctly for better delivery of services. In adult A case, none of the above models was put into use since the police, local authority local residence and the health and social care services failed to work together. However, had these parties used the coordinated model, they could have been able to work in collaboration to meet the holistic needs of adult A.
2.2 Review current legislation and organisational practices and policies for partnership working in health and social care
There are several legislations, organization practices and policies for partnership working in health and social care. Some of the legislation which requires application of partnership working within health and social care sector include Crime and Disorder Act 1998. NHS Care and Community Act 1990, and Children Act 2004.
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998, was passed to target crime related to anti-social behaviour. Although this Act mandate, local authorities to develop strategy that will reduces crime and disorder in their area, it also requires them to work together with local police authority, health and social care services; local residents and business to ensure crime and disorder are prevented. Regrettably, In adult’s A case, the local authority failed in its mandate as it did not work in partnership with the police, health and social care authority and local residents (Neighbours) to prevent the frequent harm inflicted on Adult, A. Had their work in partnership with the local residents, the police authority and health and social care services, adult A could have been provided with better protection against the harm.
NHS care and community Act 1990, is cited as the first law in UK, to have called for client-professional partnership working with health and social care services. The Act requires that patients be actively involved in service planning. Had the Nurse in Strafford hospital met the requirement of this law, they could have involved patients in planning of services for improvement of life. Regrettably, that did not happen. On top of legislation, there are range of policies that call for partnership working with health and social care sector. These policies include putting people First, Equity and Excellence – Liberating the NHS among other. “Putting people first” promoted the concept of personalization with health and social care where patients are give maximum choice, control and power over the support they received. This policy calls for patients’ involvement in planning the services where their choice and preference are taking into account (National survivor user network 2015). In addition, the government policy “Equity and Excellence – Liberating the NHS” required patients to be involved in all decision making process relating to their care. This was visibly expressed through the mantra ‘nothing about us without us” (National Survivor users network 2015). Had the nurse at Strafford implemented this policy, they could have shared the decision making process with patients hence development of quality support package.
2.3 Explain how differences in working practices and policies affect collaborative working
As stated by Sullivan and Skelcher (2002) partnership work better when the partners has some similarity in their working practices and policies. However, finding partners with similar working practices and policies is not always possible. As such, most health and social care services find themselves working with partners whose’ working practices and Policies differs. These differences in working practices and policies are issues of concern as it affects the entire collaborative working and in most cases in negative ways. For instances, as mentioned by JIT (2009), when the working practices of partners differs, disagreement can arise on how best to achieve the common goals. Also, in some cases, when working practices and policies between potential partners extremely differs, forming the much needed partnership working arrangement may become impossible as partners retreat to their comfort zone. This is exactly what happens in Adult A case scenario. The partners that were supposed to work together for adult’s protection which include the local authority, the policies and health and social care services all had different working practices. The local authorities work according to the mandate given to it by the various legislations. On the other hand, the police authority work according to the guideline and requirement contained in the legislation governing the police force including the police Act 1964. Equally, the working practices of health and social care services is determined by quite different range of legislation including the health and social care act 2014, care act 2002 among others. This create different working practices which hindered these potential partners to come together to plan on how to work collaboratively to protect and meet all the adult’s needs.
3.1 Evaluate possible outcomes of partnership working for users of services, professionals and organisations
Partnership workings have wide ranges of outcomes within health and social care setting. To begin, partnership working brings together different skills and knowledge which complement one another in service delivery process. As a result, the decision and the entire service delivery process improve significantly whereby it becomes possible to offer holistic services to service users (JIT 2009, Petch and Cook 2013). Had the local authority worked in partnership with the police, local residents and the health and social care services, wide ranges of skills and knowledge could have been brought together leading to better decision on the care of Adult A.
Another important positive outcome of partnership working between patient and professional is that patients’ needs are put at the centre of services delivery. As results, patient needs are not only met, but patients also feel valued and respected (Petch and Cook 2013). Regrettably, this outcome was not achieved in Strafford hospital. Had the nurse worked in partnership with the patients, this outcome could have been achieved. In partnership working, the partners also bring in some important resources that enable delivery services at satisfactory level. In other word, when two or more professional work together, they are able to create a pool of sufficient resources required to delivery service satisfactory (Atkinson 2007). Regrettably, this did not happen in Adult, A case since the local authorities, health and social care service and the police failed to work together. Had they worked together, they could have been able to eliminate resources gap experienced by each partner. They could have been able to pull resources such as money; human resources etc together hence have adequate resources needed to meet the holistic needs of adult A.
Another important outcome of partnership is that Empowerment. When different professional work together, they are able to empower each other’s (SCIE 2016). Regrettably, this did not happen in adult A case. The police, local authority and health and social care services never worked together thus denying each partner an opportunity to be empowered by the others. Had there be any partnership between these three parties, empowerment could have taken place, which could have helps each of them to improve the way they deliver their obligation.
3.2 analyse the potential barriers to partnership working in health and social care services
There are several potential barriers to partnership working. These include culture differences time and resources as well as funding issues.
Culture difference- in most cases, there is differences in culture between partners. For instances, In adult A case, the organization cultures in police, local authority and health and social care services differ from that of each other. It is obvious the work practice of any institution is greatly determine by it cultures. As such it can be said that the police, local authority and the health and social care service all had different culture and working practices which made hindered them from working collaboratively.
Adequate shared resource-For effective partnership, time and resources are required. Each partner must devote some time to build and maintain the partnership relationship. Equally, each partner should devote some of it resources including human resources and finances to keep the partnership going. Regrettably, not most potential partners have are committed in devoting their time and resources in partnership as such they end up not collaborating at all (JIT 2009). This is what happens in adult A case. Each of the potential partners in adult A case, that is, the police, health and social care services and local authority failed to commit some of their resources and time to building a partnership working relationship with each other.
3, 3 Devise strategies to improve outcomes for partnership working in health and social care services
There are wide ranges of strategies that can be used to improve the outcomes of partnership working with health and social care. These include improvement of communication, establishing a framework for resources sharing among other .
Communication has been cited as one of the essences for effective partnership. Without communication/sharing of information there is no way partnership working can be established or sustained. This is very evident in Adult, A case scenario, The lack of information sharing between police, local authority , local resident and the health and social care services hindered the establishment of a partnership working relation that was much needed in order to protect Adult A . Therefore, improve the communication process between partners can help establish and sustain partnership working relationship hence better delivery of services that is valued by patients.
Better outcome in partnership working can be achieved if resources are well shared by the partners. For instance, In adult A case, Better outcome could have be achieved if the police, local authority and the health and social care shared their resources when caring for Adult A. Therefore, better outcome for partnership working can be achieved by establishing a framework for sharing the available resources among partners
Conclusion
This report has discussed the partnership working concept as used with health and social care sector. The report has found out that to achieve better outcome through partnership working, Staffs must put philosophies of partnership working in practices. In addition, the reports have identified a numbers of legislation and policies that affect partnership working with health care. Finally, the report has also discovered that partnership working can have wide range of positive outcomes when applied in delivering health and social care Services