Professional_Working

My interpretation of Interprofessional working is: The roles of nurses and social workers in the management and delivery of care. “Partnership is a state of relationship, at organizational, group, professional or interpersonal level to be achieved, maintained and reviewed, and a cornerstone of policies to modernize health and social services”. (Glendinning, 2000; Robinson & Cottral, 2005) Partnership is not only about different professionals working together, but it implies a shared commitment to work with and on behalf of service users and cares. (Clarke 2000) Positivity of Partnership It gives room for empowerment and opportunities for learning. It promotes self –esteem. It promotes Independence. It increases self worth and builds confidence. It allows better and dependable services. It encourages anti- oppressive services. Negativity of partnership Service user becomes lost. Lack of understanding of each others roles. Fear caused by professional protectionism. Unequal distribution of power between the different agencies involved hinders working relationships. Different organisational cultures, jargon’s, and location’s. Poor communication and different styles of record keeping. Time consuming. (Hudson 2002;West and Poulton 1997 Communication is an activity which has to be performed and practised. It is a central feature of interaction, a two way process, the essence of cooperation and participation. Communication is about the exchanges of messages and building messages into a relationship (Carnaby 2002). This ecological model clearly states that individuals and their environments should never be understood separately from each other; for although human development is often portrayed as a choice between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ this approach makes it clear that “human development is best understood as the product of an indivisible mix of nature and nurture.” (Jack and Jack 2000, p95) In this approach social workers are often crucial in extending the capacity of local people and local organisations to meet the needs of service users and their families in ways which increased the effectiveness of their social networks to affect a reduction in social exclusion. The social worker will also, by helping to strengthen the service users’ formal and informal networks, strengthen communities in ways that will have positive benefits for all within them. “This is in stark contrast to the systems management and care management approaches that have dominated social work practice in the past two decades.(Jack and Jack 2000, p101) General Systems Theory (see Appendix 2) Systems theory says that neither the client nor the surrounding environment necessarily has the problem; it is the interaction between the two that is the issue. (Pincus and Minahan, 1983 Payne 1997). In simplistic terms individuals are viewed as being part of a system that evolves, changes and operates within a structure governed by its own rules, beliefs, culture, myths and legends. Each system follows certain repetitive behaviour patterns and forms of relating; and exists within the wider family and community. Therefore, the focus of a social worker’s work no longer needs to be on bringing about change in an individual service user; but can look at other parts of that person’s social system as the target for change. Pincus and Minahan are among the first major influences in applying systems theories to social work. They argue that people depend upon systems in their immediate social environment for a satisfactory life, so social work must focus on the interventions and linkages between people and their social systems. As with the “Task-Centred” approach this theory is one of the few “comprehensive sociologically-based theories of social work, very different from the traditional focus on individualisation and psychology.” (Banks 2001, p74) Banks, S. (2001), Ethics and Values in Social Work, Basingstoke: Palgrave. Jack, G. and Jack, D. (2000), ‘Ecological Social Work: The Application of a Systems Model of Development in Context’ in Stepney, P. and Ford, D. (eds) Social Work Models, Methods and Theories: A Framework for Practice, Lyme Regis: Russell House Publishing