1.
Understand partnership working.
1.1 - Identify the features of effective
partnership working.
Partnership working has been a
recurrent public policy for the last 40 years for health and social care;
different solutions have been presented along the way, such as a single system
by full integration. Current and previous attempts at partnership working have
risen directly out underlying assumptions that underpin our current welfare
system. 1940’s legislation set up the current welfare state that assumed it was
easy to differentiate between those who were sick and had health needs, to
those that were disabled and had social care needs. This underlying assumption
has created very different organisations, with very different structures and
ways of working, including all the subsequent complexities that partnership
working entails. (Glasby, 2010 p.17-18)
Being able to look and analyse
the system that created partnership working may perhaps attempt to explain
where these complexities began within social work, what that means to the
profession and to service users, carers and the community.
Developments in partnership
working began in 1997, which was the year of Tony Blair’s New Labour landslide
victory, with this came promises of reform across many different sectors such
as education and employment. Within their manifesto were promises of rebuilding
the NHS by increased spending on patient care and the seventh manifesto
included a promise of building stronger communities, laying the foundations for
a better welfare state and community care.
The delivery of services was to
be focussed on partnership working not only between health and social care but
also between service users themselves. This is exemplified in the white paper
“Shifting the Balance of Power within the NHS (DoH 2001). This set out the
implementation of strategy for the NHS plan but seemed to stress the dominant
role of health rather than social care. However the emphasis was on joint
working across a wider range of partners. Local strategic partnerships where
designed to align plans for service development with the introduction of Health
Improvement Modernisation Plans (HiMP). (Macdonald, 2006. P142) Each health
authority is obliged to produce a HiMP to set the strategic framework for
improving health, this modernisation also needed applying to how services were
planned with key partners such as local authorities and voluntary
organisations.
1.2 - Explain the importance of partnership working
with:
Ø
Colleagues
Partnership working has been shown to have benefits
for staff; it has been found to give more clarity regarding roles and
responsibilities and is also linked with lower levels of stress.
Staff working in partnership with a service user’s
family will become more aware of families' individual needs, and know more
about an elderly person's home context, thus enabling them to be aware of how
the care home is different or similar to their own home and understand the
elderly person’s behaviour with this in mind.
Ø Other
professionals
Effective partnership amongst care home workers and
other professions such as health care workers relies on a recognition that all
parties care about the same goal: that of promoting the health of the service
user.
Each might take a ‘different path’ to achieving this
goal, but this should be the common agenda.
Partnership could be enhanced by ensuring the service user was placed at
the centre of everything, and that a proactive, ‘whole person’ approach was
taken to care. Partnership working is
improved when professionals in the care home and health and social care sectors
link together to anticipate problems and take a more preventative approach to
health.
Linked to this recognition of common goals, effective
partnership requires a clear understanding of, and respect for, each other’s
roles in the process of care.
Assumptions around a lack of knowledge or different perceptions of the
status of each sector may hinder this.
Ø Others
Service Users The main impacts on service users is
their improved access to services, through speedier and more appropriate
referral, and a greater focus on prevention and early intervention. Partnership
working can make improvements to the lives of service users through more
focused support.
Families Partnership working with families of service
users ensures families feel like equal partners within the process.
Partnership working builds a positive and non-judgmental
relationship with the family concerned, by ensuring that multi-agency service
provision is delivered in a timely and coordinated manner where all involved in
the process are empowered to deliver their role optimally. Information sharing
with family members ensures they have more knowledge and as such more
understanding of service provision. By drawing services together in a coherent
partnership we can ensure that the family needs to tell its ‘story' only once.
Partnership working may empower families to seek out help and advice if they
need it. Partnership working is also about engaging whole families, making sure
everyone's opinions are heard and listened to. With a 'whole family' approach,
we can ensure we're meeting everyone's needs and that's what makes the lasting
difference.
1.3 - Analyse how partnership working delivers
better outcomes.
Partnership working across health
and social care is seen as being at the heart of providing seamless care and
avoiding fragmentation There has also been a major shift in focus towards the
outcomes that services deliver, addressed most recently, for England, in the
New Outcomes Framework for Performance Assessment of Adult Social Care (CSCI,
2006).
Outcomes for Professionals:
þ Professionals involved in partnership working report that they enjoy
it and that they find it rewarding and stimulating.
þ For those involved in developing new working approaches, there is
the element of job satisfaction from the creativity and autonomy from the
experience.
þ Two studies that explored partnership working within the context of
health and social care, reported gains in confidence among professionals,
improved relationships with other professionals and improved relationships with
families.
ý
There may be a number of
negative impacts on professional identities that could arise from partnership
working between health and social care agencies. The expansion of new roles
within a team could lead to confusion regarding roles amongst team members and
to uncertainty about roles, including some individual questioning of what their
role might be within new contexts. Role demarcation as a challenge of
partnership working can occasionally be a problem.
Outcomes for
service users:
þ
The improvement of services. In
a study of good practice in multi-agency working it was found that services
were improved for those clients who were accessing more than one service or
organisation – especially those using jointly provided services or those within
multi-agency case-review meetings.
þ
Better access to services and
services having a more preventative/early intervention focus. One of the
impacts for service users is gaining access to services not available
previously and easier/quicker access to services. In a study of the impact of
multi-agency working service users with complex health care needs found that
the ‘key worker’ function in the multi-agency activity was particularly
instrumental in bringing about improved access to services.
þ
Reduce stigma attached to
accessing services.
þ
A positive impact on
professional identities, which a study found arose from multi-agency work
between health and social care was that individuals felt more accountable. For
example, if they said in the context of a multi-agency team meeting that they
would action a particular item, then they made sure that they did.
Example of a
positive outcome as a result of partnership working:
An assessment of a lady who was referred to the home led to an
understanding that her husband- Mr B was working full time and also caring for
her with a complex long term condition. Following a number of discussions with
the referring social worker, Mr and Mrs B and Mr and Mrs B’s family, it was
decided that Mr B could in fact continue to look after Mrs B in her own home
and that we as a care home could assist him in supporting her until if/when she
needed to come in to the home. Mr B agreed to complete a carers’ assessment
with the support of the social services. Mr B’s main concern was balancing his
work and caring roles.
Through partnership working, together we identified the following
options and support:
F
Mr B attending a training
course, with other carers, aimed at supporting him to look at ways of dealing
with the emotional and practical impact of caring for his wife.
F
We carried out a thorough
assessment of Mrs B’s needs, with Mr B, their social worker, and the wider
family. This resulted in Mrs B being offered a place at the home for respite
care during the day when Mr B was at work.
F
Talking to his wider family about
being involved in supporting his wife.
Ten months on from the original contact the assessment and support
has resulted in:
F
Mr B being able to continue to
work knowing that his wife is supported and happy at the home. As a result his
work is again more satisfying and less stressful.
F
Mrs B had access to nutritional
meals and social activities which extended her networks of support but also
gave her new friends and interests. It was also preparing her for when/if she
needed to come to the home for a longer stay or to move in permanently, as she
(and Mr B and the rest of the family) would be familiar with the way the home
worked and know the carers and other residents.
F
Mr and Mrs B’s family were made
aware of the limitations of the home and what care requirements would need to
be met by the family, which previously they had not been aware of, this allowed
Mr B a wider circle of support and gave more contacts for Mrs B if she struggled
in the day without him. This in turn increased the sense of security for both
Mr B and Mrs B
F
Mr B having continued contact
with the carers at the home who were able to offer peer support and social
contact, which because of his work/caring role balance he had previously been
without.
Social
Services, the care home manager, the family and importantly Mr and Mrs B all
understood who was responsible for which elements of Mrs B’s care. They all
contributed to the review of this set up and provided feedback on any issues
which may have affected o(r may go on to affect) the smooth functioning of this
partnership arrangement.
1.4 - Explain how to overcome barriers to
partnership working.
A barrier to partnership working
may be the need for more mutual respect between the agencies involved in a
service user’s care. For instance Health professionals are sometimes seen as
patronising by pointing out the obvious in terms of caring for older people –
but then again, some care homes need basic prompting on care that is being
provided.
There may be a concern about the
level recognition of the role care homes play in managing and identifying
subtle changes in older people’s conditions.
There may be a power dynamic which means that health professionals
working in the NHS feel more powerful, more professional, and of a higher
status than care home staff, which impacts on equal partnership working.
Ø There
needs to be an emphasis on the building of good quality relationships, based on
trust between agencies and a greater equality in relationships.
Ø Fundamental
to improving working relationships, is the idea that there needs to be a
greater blurring of boundaries to promote ‘joined-up’ working.
Ø ‘Joined-up’
working would also be enhanced if the paper work involved was made more common
and if communication systems (such as IT) were more compatible and equitable.
Ø Sharing
education, training and workforce development could also improve matters, as
could the existence of joint performance monitoring and agreed outcome
measures.
Ø Effective
communication between agencies is essential to good partnership working. Some staff could feel very isolated and this
should be reduced through the creation of support networks and by reaching out
to other partner groups.
Ø Interaction
needs to be on-going, and different agencies need to be mindful of the need to
reduce jargon to promote clarity of understanding.
Ø Inclusion
of the views of patients and carers is also important to the communication
process, as a means of helping staff to look at things in new ways and to bring
diversity and creativity to the process.
Ø Carers
may benefit from building up relationships with named individuals in
organisation.
‘It’s who you know!’ Promoting personal contacts and
relationships should result in better access to services, better sharing of
information and as a means of reducing feelings of isolation and of being
overwhelmed by issues
A priority for me as a team
leader would be to facilitate more effective partnerships by addressing
negative attitudes: both those of individuals and the separate partner
organisations, and those within society in general.
Ø Individuals
need to be more prepared to ask for help and be committed to sharing
information and investment.
Ø Organisations
and separate staff groups need to work towards a better pro-active approach to
care and to develop a better understanding of role strengths and what is
important for different partners.
Ø Respect and understanding of roles needs to be
demonstrated by appropriate use of language and inclusion:
Poor attitudes within society in general need to be
changed in relation to the care sector, in order to promote better working and
care provision. Poor public perception
and low wage scales for staff in care homes might result in a reluctance to
choose the care sector as a career, for instance. Primarily though, work to address poor
attitudes to the care sector is needed to start with addressing attitudes
within the sector itself.
Establishing joint training across health and social
care is crucial means of promoting effective partnership working. Better training of care home staff could
also reduce demand on health care professionals and improve social care
assessment and communication with health professionals.
Ø The
provision of opportunity for individual cross-sector learning – such as through
having of student nurse or Allied Health Professional placements in care homes,
or by encouraging the shadowing of roles across partner organisations
Ø The
establishment of shared learning networks, where partners could both
disseminate good practice and jointly reflect on error reporting or audit
Ø The
provision of specific training for targeted staff by specialist workers – such
as where District Nurses train care home staff in catheter care, for example :
Partnership working is likely to be improved through better education of
individuals working in the field; especially if this focuses on improving their
understanding of other services and roles through opportunity to work in other
areas or settings. Particular attention
needs to be given to the following areas:
F
Creation of more placement opportunities in care
homes for student nurses, OT’s, physiotherapists and others (including GNVQ
students from colleges, perhaps).
F
Creation of more shadowing opportunities right
across health and social care.
F
Creation of more opportunities for specialists
to come into care homes to provide guidance and education (for example:
hospital discharge staff to visit an older person in a care home and update
staff re managing their health needs).
2. Be able to establish and maintain working relationships with
Colleagues.
2.1 - Explain own role and responsibilities in working
with colleagues.
Successful joint working between health
and social care staff is a vital component of improving the lives of vulnerable
adults and children. Objectives of joint working include:
F Streamlining assessments and preventing families from having to give
the same information to multiple professionals.
F Improving information sharing between professionals.
F Improving the efficiency of the care system as a whole.
F Co-ordinating the provision of care.
F Improving the planning and commissioning of care so that health and
social care services complement rather than disrupt each other.
It is
important in my role to maintain a professional approach whilst upholding my
workplace principles and values. it would be up to me to set tasks and clear
objectives for my colleagues which should be SMART, specific, measurable,
achievable, realistic and there should be timescales. Wherever possible I
should involve colleagues in the decision making process when setting
objectives. By listening and accepting colleague’s ideas, suggestions and
opinions I will make sure that they feel important and acknowledged in the work
that they are doing. This will make it more likely they take ownership of the
objectives and feel more valued and work more actively to achieve the desired
outcomes. It is important that I support colleagues and give them feedback and
suggestions on how performance can be improved. It is also important to
acknowledge the different needs of each individual team member. It is
important, as manager, to know and recognise my own limitations and to share
any concerns I have with colleagues. By holding regular team meetings this will
provide an opportunity to share relevant information, make decisions as a team
and provide support and help for team members.
There are useful communication
tools which ensure that colleagues are kept informed about progress and
objectives. As Manager I will be responsible for updating policies and
procedures within the workplace therefore it is essential that you keep up to
date with your knowledge in order to pass on relevant information to your
colleagues.
Ø Theories
The Forming –
Storming – Norming – Performing model of” group development” was first proposed
by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, who maintained that these phases are all necessary
and inevitable in order for the team to grow, to face up to challenges, to
tackle problems, to find solutions, to plan work, and to deliver results. This
model has become the basis for subsequent models.
Ø Forming
In the first
stages of team building, the” forming” of the team takes place. The
individual's behaviour is driven by a desire to be accepted by the others, and
avoid controversy or conflict. Serious issues and feelings are avoided, and
people focus on being busy with routines, such as team organization, who does
what, when to meet, etc. But individuals are also gathering information and
impressions - about each other, and about the scope of the task and how to
approach it. This is a comfortable stage to be in, but the avoidance of
conflict and threat means that not much actually gets done.
The forming
stage of any team is important because, in this stage, the members of the team
get to know one another, exchange some personal information, and make new
friends. This is also a good opportunity to see how each member of the team
works as an individual and how they respond to pressure.
Ø Storming
Every group will
next enter the “storming” stage in which different ideas compete for
consideration. The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really
supposed to solve, how they will function independently and together and what
leadership model they will accept. Team members open up to each other and
confront each other's ideas and perspectives. In some cases “storming” can be
resolved quickly. In others, the team never leaves this stage. The maturity of
some team members usually determines whether the team will ever move out of
this stage. Some team members will focus on minutiae to evade real issues.
Ø Norming
The team manages
to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage. Some may
have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team
function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the
ambition to work for the success of the team's goals.
Ø Performing
It is possible for
some teams to reach the “performing stage”. These high-performing teams are
able to function as a unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and
effectively without inappropriate conflict or the need for external
supervision. By this time, they are motivated and knowledgeable. The team
members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making
process without supervision.
2.2 - Develop and agree common objectives when
working with colleagues.
It is vitally
important to be clear about what’s trying to be achieved and what colleagues
are responsible for. Everyone needs to know what is expected of them and it
needs to be possible to assess how well I am doing in working towards achieving
my aims and objectives. In order to develop and agree common objectives when
working with colleagues I may need to negotiate and make compromises in some
areas. All planning, goal setting and targets must make sure they encompass the
needs of the service user and they are at the centre of my planning.
By promoting
relationships that respect colleague’s ideas and opinions, I am showing
colleagues that I value their opinions. This can be achieved by having team
meetings and giving the team members the chance to share ideas and give
feedback on team working and to develop and agree objectives. This also ensures
good relationships between team members and that colleagues are aware of the
goals of the team and where they fit into those aims. Colleagues will work
better in partnership when they are aware of their goals and share common
objectives which they are all working towards together.
2.3 - Evaluate own working relationship with
colleagues.
Team skills
management is a recognised method (created by Belbin) to establish managerial
style. Using a self-grading system an individual can establish a personal
inventory of their skills, strengths and weaknesses. It is also possible to
evaluate my strengths and weaknesses as an open and participatory leader by
encouraging and putting procedures in place to receive feedback on my own
performance as a leader from the team members and by providing opportunities
for all those involved in the working relationship to express their views.
As team
leader I can also complete self-appraisal. Self-appraisal is an important part
of the Performance appraisal process where the employee themself gives the
feedback or views and points regarding their performance. Usually this is done
with the help of a self-appraisal form where the employee rates themself on
various parameters, tells about their training needs, if any, talks about their
accomplishments, strengths, weaknesses, problems faced etc. My effectiveness as
leader can be assessed by measuring success against set targets and by
reviewing objectives and checking progress.
2.4 - Deal constructively with any conflict that
may arise with colleagues.
All managers
will at some time, have to deal with conflict. The way I handle discord is a
determining factor to success. Initially, I must communicate to gain a clear
understanding of what is actually causing the conflict. Conflicts may have many
different causes, for example, colleagues may have different work methods, with
the same goals but different approaches to achieving them. A clash of
personalities, stress and differing views can often all be sources of conflict.
Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing providing that it is dealt with
constructively. When dealing with a group of people conflict and dilemmas are
inevitable. If a conflict or dilemma is dealt with successfully, not only will
the problem be resolved but an increased understanding of each other and a
situation may follow. Communication is a vital tool in dealing with conflict.
In order to deal with the conflict the following steps can help:
ü
Identify the issue
ü
Propose several possible
solutions
ü
Evaluate the alternatives
ü
Determine the best solution
ü
Implement
ü
Continual evaluation of the
solution
Strategies to
minimise conflicts should be embraced, such as respect for others,
communicating your expectations, encouraging team work and empowering people.
This is all vital when leading teams because it is inevitable that conflicts
and dilemmas within the team or concerning the team will arise. It is important
that these are solved effectively by using the most appropriate style for the
situation to ensure that the team continues to work effectively and hopefully
some lessons and development can come from the situation. A good way of
preventing conflicts from erupting is by creating an atmosphere in which
collaboration is valued and interpersonal differences are accepted.
3. Be able
to establish and maintain working relationships with other professionals.
3.1 - Explain own role and responsibilities in
working with other professionals.
In order to
provide a person centred service for individuals. I will need to work in
partnership with professionals from other agencies and organisations. For this
to work successfully I need to be clear about my own role, responsibilities and
limitations and also aware of the roles of other professionals; I need to be
confident about my own standards and targets and respectful of those that apply
to other services, actively seeking and respecting the knowledge and input
others can make to delivering best outcomes for the service user. It is an
important part of my role and responsibilities within partnership working to
share my own skills and knowledge and also to take advantage of any opportunities
to observe the practice of other professionals. By making effective use of opportunities to
draw upon their skills and expertise it will enable me to extend my own
knowledge and understanding.
In order to
work effectively with other professionals, I will need to interact with them in
a manner likely to promote trust and confidence in the relationship. This will
include the sharing of information, which must be complete and accurate, in
order to assist them in their role. I should make sure that I work within the
boundaries of my knowledge and responsibility and keep accurate records which
are stored correctly in line with the data protection act and my organisations
policies and procedures.
I will be
able to contribute to planning and implementation of joint actions consistent
with my role and responsibilities. I need to have the confidence to challenge
issues where appropriate and be able to state my own judgements in an assertive
manner. It is also my role and responsibility to upholding my work sectors
principles and values whilst maintaining a professional approach.
To summarise
I will need:
F
Effective communication skills
– by listening and making sure I am listened to
F
Use plain language during
communication not professional jargon
F
Provide timely, appropriate,
succinct information to enable other
professionals to deliver their support to the individual
F
Record, summarise, share and
feedback information.
F
Respect the contribution of
others working with individuals
F
Share experience through formal
and informal exchanges
3.2 - Develop procedures for effective working
relationships with other professionals.
It is
important to develop procedures for an effective working relationship with
other professionals because as well as making my workplace more enjoyable to
work in, the service users will benefit from a better service with better
outcomes, when everyone works as a team. It will also help my organisation to
maintain a professional image. In an effective relationship parties listen to and
understand others’ positions and feelings. The simplest way to understand what
is important to another person or to a group is to ask, then and listen to the
answer. It is important to clearly define my own role and responsibilities and
those of other professionals and agree common objectives, goals, targets and
ways of working. I will need to exchange complete, accurate and up-to-date
information with other professionals whilst respecting requirements for
confidentiality. In order to ensure an effective working relationship this must
be done in line with good practice, values and ethical requirements. Any
commitments I have made should be fulfilled or advise people immediately if I
am unable to do so. Any disagreements and complaints should be dealt with
promptly, positively and in line with organisational procedures and
professional guidelines and also in the best interests of the service users.
To summarise:
F
Multi-disciplinary working
requires the establishment of shared protocols and formalised procedures to help ensure
consistent standards of care.
F
Developing an effective
multi-disciplinary team requires the setting of clear objectives through the
identification of need and the planning, purchasing and financing of services
F
Effective planning
F
Consideration of how services
are to be financed
F
Management of a
multi-disciplinary team requires procedures to address the professional,
training and developmental needs of individual team members.
3.3 - Agree common objectives when working with
other professionals within the boundaries of own role and responsibilities.
I will need
to build relationships with other professionals and be able to work effectively
with them, both inside and outside of healthcare in order to deliver a high
standard of care and to make sure of the service users safety. It is important
to ensure that the service user remains the centre of the process. It is
important to respect the skills and contributions of other professionals, and
developing effective communication with other members of the team and with the
service user. Common SMART objectives should be established in the beginning
and be agreed by all involved in the partnership.
Ø
Specific. This means that they
tell you exactly what to do.
Ø
Measurable. This means that
there should be a way of telling when you have reached the goal.
Ø
Achievable. There is no point
setting a goal that you cannot possibly achieve, as this will demotivate you.
Be honest about your priorities in the coming weeks and do not try to do too
much.
Ø
Relevant. The goal should help
you to move towards your final goal, e.g. to achieve your key skills.
Ø
Timed. A deadline should be
set for achieving your goal
I must remain
aware of the boundaries of my own role and responsibilities as detailed in my
job description. My job description is a communication tool which will advise
me where my job role ends and another person’s job role begins. Any agreements,
objectives and plans should be recorded in line with my company’s policies and
procedures and should detail my role and responsibilities and the role and
responsibilities of others, so that everyone is clear on how they are involved,
and the objectives, with agreed agendas on how they will be reached.
So what are
objectives? Objectives are the outcomes I expect to achieve from my aims or
goals. Objectives act as a reference to guide me through the planning process -
they influence all the decisions I make. I will hold meetings with all those
involved in planning and implementing the service user’s plan of care in order
to discuss objectives and to agree an agenda of how these objectives will be
achieved. A meeting is not simply a time to get together and discuss what is
going on. The main purpose of most meetings is to reach agreement on how to
progress in the future. It is important that decisions made in meetings are
clearly recorded, so that everyone knows what will be done, who will do it and
when it will be done. Written records of meetings are usually known as meeting
minutes. They usually record who attended the meeting, what was discussed and
what was decided.
I must
establish the principle of transparency concerning the sharing of information.
What types of information would be covered by this? How and by whom should
information be made available by each of the party(ies)? What are the
consequences of failing to make agreed information available to the other
party(ies)? What are the agreed expectations concerning the sharing of
information? What information can each organisation withhold from the other?
What information may be used externally by each party? Me and my partners
should agree an agenda at the start so that everyone is clear about the
objectives, their personal responsibilities and the responsibilities of others
in the partnership.
3.4 - Evaluate procedures for working with other
professionals.
In order to
evaluate procedures used for partnership working there has to be a system in
place to monitor and review progress. This is where the importance of agreeing
the outcomes and timescale at the beginning of the partnership are important.
The evaluation should be carried out by monitoring, reviewing and measuring the
progress made against set outcomes. Regular progress reports should be
produced. If procedures are working well with all the professionals involved
this will result in positive outcomes e.g. coordinated service provision,
professional approach, clear roles and responsibilities, organised
communication, avoidance of duplication, preventing mistakes, efficient use of
resources. If the procedures are not working it could result in negative
outcomes such as professional rivalry, miscommunication, time wasting and
mismanagement of funding.
The impact of
my organisations working with other professionals, on the service users, should
be taken into account and their views and opinions should be listened to as
part of the evaluation process. This part of the evaluation could be conducted
by completion of a questionnaire by service users, if possible. Positive
outcomes for the individual could include improved services, empowerment,
autonomy, informed decision making whilst negative outcomes could consists of
miscommunication, information overload, confusion, frustration, duplication of
service provision and disempowerment.
3.5 - Deal constructively with any conflict that
may arise with other professionals.
It is
important for all members of a partnership to be aware that conflict is
inevitable. Different philosophies, principles, priorities and codes of
practice can have a positive effect on team working by providing a more
thorough and well-rounded look at how the team should be working to achieve the
best possible outcomes for service users. However if the different philosophies,
principle, priorities and codes of practice are in conflict with one another it
is possible that this will have a negative effect because there will be
inconsistencies and this can result in confusion within the workplace. The
team’s ability to meet all the needs of all agencies and partners can be
difficult if they conflict. Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing providing
that it is dealt with constructively. In social care work the team members have
to deal with each other, multi organisational disciplines such as GP’s, family
and friends of service users and the service users themselves. When dealing
with this many people and their views conflict and dilemmas are not only
inevitable but often daily occurrences. If a conflict or dilemma is dealt with
successfully, not only will the problem be resolved but an increased
understanding of each other and a situation may follow. There are several
styles that can be adopted when dealing with conflicts or dilemmas;
Ø
Competitive
A competitive style is usually adopted by the person involved in the
conflict that has more power. They know what they want and they are not willing
to budge from their position. They want to win at the other person’s expense.
This can be useful in situations of emergencies when the problem needs a quick
resolution.
Ø
Collaborative
A person adopting this style is concerned with meeting the needs of
all the people involved. In care this can be useful when balancing the needs of
service users and the organisational requirements. The aim of this style is to
achieve a win: win scenario following the conflict or dilemma because everyone
has helped to establish the solution together. A person adopting this style is
also concerned with everyone getting something that they want but possibly giving
up something else, reaching a compromise and reaching a win: win situation.
Ø
Accommodating
A person adopting this style is concerned with meeting the needs of
others at the expense of their own. This person is not assertive and highly
cooperative. This style is appropriate when a peaceful outcome is more
important than winning.
Ø
Avoiding
A person adopting this style is concerned with evading conflict and
the dilemma entirely. This style is not very effective at resolving conflicts
or dilemmas but is appropriate if there is no chance of winning for either
side.
A good way to resolve conflicts and
dilemmas is to follow some rules. It is based on both parties working together
to find a mutually acceptable solution. This is however based on the assumption
that there is sufficient common ground to make it worthwhile. I should
ü Make sure that good relationships are my first priority
ü Identify the issues
ü Be open and honest
ü Keep people and problems separate
ü Pay attention to the interests that are being presented by listening
ü Listen effectively first and talk second
ü Non-judgemental approach
ü Set out the facts
ü Explore the options together
Another
option is mediation, which involves including a third party into the situation.
The mediator works with both parties passing on information and attempting to
get the negotiations moving rather than coming to a halt. The mediator should
be neutral and should not pass on their own opinions. They should build trust
with both sides in order to be effective.
This is all
vital when leading teams because it is inevitable that conflicts and dilemmas
within the team or concerning the team will arise. It is important that these
are solved effectively by using the most appropriate style for the situation to
ensure that the team continues to work effectively and hopefully some lessons
and development can come from the situation. A good way of preventing conflicts
from erupting is by creating an atmosphere in which collaboration is valued and
interpersonal differences are accepted but are not allowed to jeopardise
cooperation.
4. Be able
to work in partnership with others.
4.1 - Analyse the importance of working in
partnership with others.
It is
essential that I work in partnership with all of the people surrounding the
individuals I am supporting in order to ensure a person centred approach to
their care and the best possible support and care is provided. Before
discussing inter-agency co-operation and participation, it is important to
consider how I can promote the participation and empowerment of the service
user. No matter how effective the inter-agency collaboration and information
sharing is, if the service user does not feel part of the process the chances
of successful outcomes will be significantly reduced. I will need to work in
partnership with carers, families, advocates and other people who are sometimes
called “significant others”. In order
to work well in partnership, there has to be good communication and I will need
to have good communication skills.
Others people may be able to provide useful information to support me in
my work. They will have knowledge of the needs, wishes and preferences of the
individual. Also I may be able to
provide useful information to support them in being part of the individual’s
lives.
This is good
partnership working. An example might be if there are communication
difficulties. A carer or family member
can share information with you about how you can best communicate with an
individual. The importance of this is
it enables the individual to be listened to and supported in ways that they
desire and choose.
Information
should be collated from all the available sources to build a picture of the
individual life. In doing so this will
promote the individuals well-being and provide a holistic approach to their
care needs.
4.2 - Develop procedures for effective working
relationships with others.
The service
users’ needs, preferences wishes and health care requirements need to remain at
the centre of any procedures developed for an effective working relationship
with them, their family or carers. They should be fully informed and involved
in any decisions regarding their care and the delivery of any support they may
need. At the start of an individual’s
care all those involved should discuss the care package, and establish a shared
understanding. It will be necessary to set boundaries in various areas for
example confidentiality, the recording and storage of information and the
sharing of information with other agencies. Everyone involved should be aware
of the complaints procedure in case of any future problems. Communication is an
important area to discuss and regular contact and updates should be agreed in
the beginning.
By developing
and building good relationships with all concerned and by ensuring my
colleagues are aware of procedures an effective working relationship will be
established. I should provide staff with feedback and suggestions of areas
requiring improvement.
4.3 - Agree common objectives when working with
others within the boundaries of own role and responsibilities.
Agreeing
common objectives with others within the boundaries of own role and
responsibilities is done by maintaining a professional relationship and both
having an input into the plan of care and what needs to be done to meet the
care needs. It needs to be ensured that each others opinions and views are
respected and listened to and that each individual specialising in each area
has an input and shares their knowledge and the links they have access to.
4.4 - Evaluate procedures for working with others.
To evaluate
procedures when working with others is to ensure the best method is being used
and that the communication is reaching the other parties effectively and being
understood. Ensure that all parties are happy with the procedures and ask for
their input in any changes they feel they would like to input to make it more
effective.
Outcomes for
users of services:
Ø
positive outcomes : will result
in improved services, empowerment, autonomy, informed decision making;
Ø
negative outcomes : will result
in neglect, abuse, harm, anger, miscommunication, information overload,
confusion, frustration, duplication of service provision, disempowerment
4.5 - Deal constructively with any conflict that
may arise with others.
Conflicts are
inevitable and it is possible to develop the skills required to deal with them
in a constructive way in order to minimise the effects they can have. Good
communication and even more importantly listening skills are the key to
managing ethical dilemmas and conflicts for individuals. I should try to
establish what has caused the conflict, be non-judgemental in my approach and establish
a common ground to work from. Show empathy and try to understand their point of
view and attempt to mediate a resolution by formulating points of agreement.
Conflicts can be made worse or more frequent by someone’s illness or condition.
Some conflicts may prove more difficult to deal with than others especially
when it involves one person’s rights as opposed to another person’s rights.
I should
ensure that all service users are aware of the complaints procedure wherever
possible and have support from staff to file a complaint. In ensuring this it
is promoting the service users rights choices and well-being and builds a
trusting relationship between them, their family and the establishment I work
for.
References
Ø The learning, teaching and assessment of partnership work in social
work education
Ø Successful Partnership Working
Ø Working Partnership
Ø
Diploma
in Leadership for Health and Social Care Level 5 – By Nelson Thornes.
