WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SERVICE USERS IN SOCIAL CARE PRACTICE - Essay Example

?Working In Partnership with Service Users in Social Care Practice Table of Contents Introduction 3 Result of Inequality on Service Demand and Provision 3 Evaluation of the Concept of User Involvement, Partnership, Self-Help, Advocacy and Empowerment 4 I. An Understanding of Social and Psychological Factors 6 II. Discussion of How Practitioner Worked With the Person 7 III. Example of Use of Theory in Partnership Work 8 IV. Critical Exploration of Inequality and Users Involvement In Work Place 9 Conclusion 10 References 12 Bibliography 15 Introduction Paranoid schizophrenia, also known as schizophrenia is fundamentally regarded as a paranoid type. It is viewed to be a problem associated with misbalanced emotional responses and poor thought processes. This particular medical problem comprises hallucinations and delusions along with paranoid behaviours that are accompanied by hearing voices as well as perceptual disturbances (Venter, 2012; Chrysostomou, 2007). In relation to the case of Mr. Smith, he has been found to suffer from this particular disease. This essay will highlight the behavioural imbalances that have been caused by the disease along with the treatment that can be offered to him. The main objective of the paper is to review the case of Mr. Smith for the purpose of identifying the mental along with psychological difficulties that were faced by him. In addition, another broad objective is to review the efforts that have been put by the practitioner to cure the patient i.e. Mr. Smith. Result of Inequality on Service Demand and Provision In relation to the concerned case, it has been realized that Mr. Smith is in denial about the severity of his illness and at several times, he decided not to follow his medical regimen. These factors prove that the medical unit, which was in charge of providing effective healthcare to Mr. Smith, had not been able to perform its basic tasks. Based on the severity of Mr. Smith’s medical conditions, it can be clearly determined that he needed proper medical treatment for his violent behaviour towards others. Based on the present health condition of Mr. Smith, it can be affirmed that he ought to undergo effective medical treatment. It is strongly felt that Mr. Smith was in immediate need for an ideal treatment. Moreover, it has also been learned that Mr. Smith had been paying visits in his organization to brush up his job skills. Despite of his medical conditions, he had been allowed to perform such tasks. Taking all these aspects in consideration, it can be determined that it resulted in inequalities in the medical treatment process as no specific provisions were made to fulfil them. In relation to determine the effects of anti-discriminatory practices, it can be affirmed that it lays high importance in the context of offering effective healthcare to the patients. This represents equal amount of importance in relation to healthcare aspects. It allows the patients to open up with sharing the diseases that they experience, which eventually triggers effective medical treatment by a certain degree (State of California, 2012; The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, 2013). In relation to the concerned case, it indicates that Mr. Smith had not been subjected to any kind of discriminatory practice, which can be considered as a significant aspect. Evaluation of the Concept of User Involvement, Partnership, Self-Help, Advocacy and Empowerment User involvement is duly considered to be an important aspect as it represents proper participation in the context of delivering better healthcare to people. In medical terms, it can be defined as the range of ways through which people obtain quality medical along with broader array of related healthcare services (Salzman, 2005; Petrie, 1995). This aspect lays high amount of importance in the overall healthcare domain and it very well relates to the provided case as well (Weinstein, 2009). In relation to the case provided, it can be viewed that Mr. Smith still availed the treatment from the community mental health service in order to enhance his working skills through working in a non- threatening environment. This can be owing to the reason of establishing a sense of purpose in attaining an independent job satisfaction with benefit to self-reliance. Considering this aspect, it can be stated that Mr. Smith had utilised the process of user involvement by a certain degree. User involvement often impose positive impact on service development and delivery, as it offers the patients with broad array of services, resulting in making the service delivery procedure much effective. In general, partnership represents association between two or more individuals towards fulfilment of a common objective. In relation to medical or healthcare perspective, this aspect can be applied by a considerable extent. It is worth mentioning that partnership helps in making collective efforts and also provides greater aid in the fulfilment of broad objectives (Salzman, 2005; Petrie, 1995). In relation to the case provided, the aspect of partnership can be taken into concern. In this case, it can be apparently observed that the practitioner, with his experience was assisting the doctors, social workers and other mental health organisations for the deliverance of effective care to Mr Smith. It can be affirmed that the practitioner was able to perform greater partnership by working with multiple bodies for common purpose of enhancing the health along with medical conditions of Mr. Smith. In relation to analyse the aspects of advocacy and empowerment, these two terms indicate similar meanings. Both of these terms are related towards following certain initiatives that are supported by mass or certain authorities. These terms can be related to the case provided as there were instances in which these aspects i.e. advocacy and empowerment came into play. It has been learned that the practitioner was able to incorporate his experience in assisting doctors, social workers and other mental health organizations in curing Mr. Smith. The experience of the practitioner provided him with the advocacy and empowerment to perform such kind of effective partnership. Self-help, on the other hand, relates to acting for one’s own interest. It has high importance in the medical field and the same has been noticed in the case provided, when it was recorded that Mr. Smith wanted to enhance his working skills and therefore visited the unit and worked in a non- threatening environment. Thus, all these aspects i.e. advocacy, empowerment and self-help can impose extensive impact on service development and delivery, as all of these factors directly relates to the improvement of the healthcare services Salzman, 2005; Petrie, 1995; Donabedian, 1976). I. An Understanding of Social and Psychological Factors Social along with psychological factors play a decisive part in the context of providing effective healthcare to the individuals. In this regard, social factors refer to certain fundamental cultural structures along with procedures that influence the health of others in terms of making deliberate efforts associated with health promotion. On the other hand, psychological factors signify the modification of the behavioural attitudes of an individual through developing the psychosocial procedures or isolations in the context of healthcare (Hurlock, 1976). With regard to the case provided, it has been learned that there were certain social and psychological factors, which came into play while delivering better care to Mr. Smith. It can be noted that Mr. Smith was overpowered with psychological aspects and had a history of medication noncompliance. His psychological barriers did not allow him to act in a formative and also in a socialised manner. Noticeable factor such as Mr. Smith’s violent along with psychotic behaviour towards others proved that he was socially inactive, which created negative implications in determining his behaviour towards societal members. According to the case provided, Mr. Smith has been continuously found to deny about the severity of his illness and at several times, he decided not to follow his medical regimen. Furthermore, his indifferent behaviour towards others proved that his mental conditions were not normal. It was clear that he was suffering from Paranoid schizophrenia and all the aforesaid factors clearly exemplified that there were strong social and psychological factors associated with the case of Mr. Smith. II. Discussion of How Practitioner Worked With the Person The practitioners’ contribution in serving Mr. Smith was quite noteworthy. This can be justified with reference to the fact that the practitioner was able to serve his basic purposes and also been observed to perform his duties in a diversified manner. However, there were certain aspects that exemplified his lack of actions towards offering better care to the patient. In relation to the positive aspects, the practitioner seemed to comply with the medical standards for ensuring effectiveness in the treatment process. He seemed to perform his duties in a very cohesive manner by way of making collaborations with the doctors, social workers and other mental health organisations. All of his efforts were intended to provide proper care to the patient. Specially mentioning, he was able to follow his own medical theories, whereby he initiated activities that were primarily based upon the interests of Mr. Smith. However, there was certain amount of resistance that was seen from the part of the patient. The patient had been seen to deny the criticalities persisting in his medical condition and did not want to undergo further treatment. At a certain point of time, the practitioner seemed to slow down a little bit. Despite the severity prevailing in the medical condition of the patient, the practitioner did not seem to act in a swift manner rather he was making preparations for the medical treatment. III. Example of Use of Theory in Partnership Work The theory of medical care, which had been utilised by the practitioner, was quite able to demonstrate the deliverance of quality care to Mr. Smith. The medical theories of the practitioner can be found to move in parlance with the aspect of partnership in terms of collaborating with the doctors, social workers and other mental health organisations. All of the efforts made by the practitioner were primarily focussed upon the objective of providing proper and effective care to Mr. Smith who was suffering from psychological disorder. In this respect, it can be affirmed that the main objective of the practitioner was to cure the patient. The aspect of partnership can be well applied in the overall medical fields, proving towards delivering effective results as well. For example, in critical medical cases, creating partnerships and collaborations can prove to save lives. With the inclusion of partnership, a patient may also get the benefit of receiving the most appropriate medical treatments. Creating partnerships in the medical practices can help in the assessment of the patients in a better way and moreover, it can also lead to proper review of patients by different entities as multiple bodies are engaged in a partnership deed (Cockerham, 2010; Graham, 1995). In this context, Leathard (2003) has also revealed the broad importance of partnership in the overall medical practices. The author also laid primary stress upon the factors associated with inclusion of this particular theory in order to improve medical practices (Leathard, 2003). All the members in a partnership work for a common objective. Therefore, inclusion if partnership in the medical practices is bound to provide the patients with positive results (Cockerham, 2010; Graham, 1995). IV. Critical Exploration of Inequality and Users Involvement In Work Place In relation to the medical fields, it can be critically affirmed that inequality can pose variable amount of threats especially to the patients. There may raise instances in which patients do not receive the kind of treatment that they deserve. The same aspect has also been critically discussed by Gordon (1999) in which the author highlighted that its impact upon affecting the health of the patients (Gordon, 1999). Arguably, inequality in medical practices generally arise when medical care practitioners does not want to perform their basic duties in a responsible manner (Royal College of Nursing, 2013). User involvement, on the other hand can be duly considered as a positive aspect, which benefits the users of a particular product of service by a certain degree. In this similar context, Lewis (2013) has also provided viewpoints regarding the importance of user involvement in developing medical practices and critically argued about the benefits of this particular aspect. In terms of medical practices, the same can be utilised from the part of the patients to select appropriate medical services of their choice. Correspondingly, the aspects of inequality and users involvement in the workplace have positive along with negative implications. Inequality may lead to conflicts in the workplace, whereas user’s involvement tends to provide greater benefits, providing liberty to the users to select from wide array of services (Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2013; Lewis, 2013). Conclusion From the overall analysis, it can be affirmed that Paranoid schizophrenia is considered to be one of the most serious mental disorders, which demand immediate treatment. According to the case provided, it can be viewed that Mr. Smith was suffering from the similar disease. He was displaying violent along with psychotic behaviour towards others. In relation to the case, it has been learned that there may occur certain hindrances in relation to the provisions that are made against the services provided to Mr. Smith. Specially mentioning, a patient may not receive the kind of exact medical treatment while undergoing any critical situation. In such cases, patients may end up receiving improper medical treatment, imposing serious threat towards their health along with wellbeing. After analysing the case, the significance of certain factors i.e. advocacy, empowerment and self-help can be revealed. It has also been learned that these factors can create high amount of impact on service development and delivery, as all of these factors directly relates towards the improvement of the healthcare services. In addition, the provided case relating to Mr. Smith had revealed the importance of forming effective partnership at workplace and the implications of inequality along with users’ involvement in workplace as well. As per the analysis of the case, it has been learned that Mr. Smith’s treatment was under process and the medical practitioner was assisting the social workers, doctors and other mental health organisations in order to deliver effective treatment to Mr. Smith. In relation to the fulfilment of objectives, the current mental state of Mr. Smith has been identified. It is learnt that he was not in normal state in relation to the personal, mental and psychological aspects. It has been realized that the practitioner served his basic duties to provide proper care to the patient however there were certain factors that seem to lack behind from his part. References Chrysostomou, T., 2007. The Diary of a Paranoid Schizophrenic. Chipmunkapublishing Ltd. Cockerham, W. C., 2010. The New Blackwell Companion to Medical Sociology. John Wiley & Sons. Donabedian, A., 1976. Benefits in Medical Care Programs. Harvard University Press. Graham, N. O., 1995. Quality in Health Care: Theory, Application and Evolution. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Gordon, D., 1999. Inequalities in Health: The Evidence; The Evidence Presented to the Independent Inquiry Into Inequalities in Health, Chaired by Sir Donald Acheson. The Policy Press. Hurlock, E. B., 1976. Personality Development. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Leathard, A., 2003. Interprofessional Collaboration: From Policy to Practice in Health and Social Care. Routledge. Lewis, L., 2013. User Involvement in Scottish Mental Health Policy: Locating Power and Inequality. Scottish Affairs, pp. 1-29. Petrie, H. G., 1995. Professionalization, Partnership, and Power: Building Professional Development Schools. SUNY Press. Royal College of Nursing, 2013. Section Two: Collaborative working, Partnership and Community Involvement. Home. [Online] Available at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/learning/transcultural_health/multiagency/sectiontwo [Accessed November 21, 2013]. Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2013. Reducing Health Inequalities: What Place For Social Work and Social Care Research? Introduction. [Online] Available at: http://www.scie.org.uk/news/events/previousevents/healthagenda09/Bywaters2.pdf [Accessed November 21, 2013]. State of California, 2012. Unlawful Discrimination. Consumers. [Online] Available at: http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/discrimination.shtml [Accessed November 21, 2013]. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, 2013. Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Homepage. [Online] Available at: http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/healthandsocialcare/fostering/anti-discriminatorypractice.aspx [Accessed November 21, 2013]. Venter, B., 2012. Paranoid Schizophrenia: My Label, My Life. AuthorHouse. Weinstein, J., 2009. Mental Health, Service User Involvement and Recovery. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Bibliography Bomar, P. J., 2004. Promoting Health in Families: Applying Family Research and Theory to Nursing Practice. 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