Policy Intervention in Healthcare - Assignment Example

Policy Intervention Report By + Background Some groups of individuals are vulnerable; they include disabled people, older people, and people with learning disabilities, mental health service users, informal careers and people from Black and minority ethnic groups (Statham 2003). As such it is the duty of the government to protect these individuals from any factors that might cause them dis repute. Initially, these groups of people had to compete with the rest of the population and as such they were at a disadvantage The society expected these individuals to compete equally and this led to various reforms in form of policies that also gave them an equal ground when it comes to various things. Despite their obvious disadvantages in life, society does not cater for their exact needs and as such they usually exist in deplorable conditions, an example is the elderly who are in most cases confined to institutions (Meulen 2001). Once admitted to these institutions nobody does a follow up to try and determine if they are indeed getting the type of treatment that they require. It has taken the intervention to put in place measures that enable the elderly rights to be protected. These specific independent groups form a minority in the society and this implies that their welfare is not fully represented in certain spheres of life. They have been the subject of ridicule and mistreatment. In Orchid view care center it was reported that 19 senior adults had been the victims of institutional abuse, research has also shown that this instance is not exclusive to this one day center it was rampant across various care centers. The scope by which the society determines the term disability is also significant. This is because some people in the society have a perceived type of disability but can still function fully. It is not uncommon to see people with their limbs amputated driving around and carrying on life like any other ‘normal’ individual. Some people encourage the, but to some people, they are a source of hate and the very presence of a disabled person is enough to conjure up hate crimes in them (Meulen 2001). Under but this category of individuals there are people who are sick and would like to be granted help so that they can end their own lives. This type of reasoning is often met with a lot of protest from some views but other quarters see it as the right thing to day. People question whether in deed a terminally ill patient has the correct mind that can enable them make such a decision. On the other hand, people argue that there is no need for a patient to suffer while there can be a way out. Generally, a person at risk is an individual who is over 18 years of age and due to one reason or the other does not have the ability and the means to take care of themselves. They are therefore vulnerable and can be the subject of various forms of abuse. These can be physical, mental or material forms of abuse that affect their way of living. This brought to the limelight the need to cater for this type of individuals who ordinarily would not have a place to air their opinions. There was need for the government to set in place policies that ensured their wellbeing was catered for in all aspects. In this report I would like to examine the Health and Social Care bill of 2013 and its impact in regards to the welfare of the aged in the society. Strengths and weaknesses of the policy The health and social care bill 2003 was an important step when it came to taking care of the rights of the dependent groups in the society. It had various aims but the core reason was to ensure that the social care needs of the vulnerable members of the community were catered for. It also had the mandate to closely monitor the provision of services and that everything was going as per the set guidelines (Phellas 2012). This policy had several impacts on the old people, the most important being that it ensured that these people were given the care that they deserve. In the past there have been instances where the elderly were subjected to abuse by their care givers. According to research, over 1000 patients died at the Stafford Hospital over a period of 4 years due to mistreatment. Patients were usually kept without food and the proper medication. Their living conditions were poorly maintained and lacked the necessary hygiene. Given these factors, this policy came as a reprieve although it might have been a little bit too late. The good thing is that there will be no future cases or there will be a great reduction in the instances where patients are dying because of neglect (Meulen 2001). Another advantage of this policy was that it set the guidelines and standards for provision of these basic services. In this way, the caretakers simply followed set down procedures and did not have any excuses for non-delivery. When they were not sure of what to do they simply referred to the regulations and followed the laid down procedures. This ensured the wellbeing of the patients was catered for. This policy is part of the government’s effort to cater for the needs of their citizens. Every government has a duty to cater for the need of all members of the society. If such a policy is achieved and all the objectives met it would imply that the government is performing well and ensuring that the welfare of the whole community is catered for. To further promote this trend, the government can introduce other policies that tend to make the running of social care services easier. This can be by subsidizing of the drugs and foodstuffs plus other materials that are often required by these facilities. Given that very few of these centers are profit making, the government can also provide financial aid to these places so as to improve the rate and quality of the services that they offer. However, this policy also had certain weaknesses. The procedures that it outlines were too stringent on the workers and as such they lost the gentle touch that some gave their patients. In the past, it was not uncommon to find a nurse taking some time to be with a patient just to give them a homely feel. It has been proven that what the elderly need the most is not the treatment that is given to them but a homely environment where they can interact with the rest of the society and feel appreciated. The policy gives caregivers a guideline and as such they cannot freely engage their patients as much as they might want to (Phellas 2012). Another dominant weakness of this policy was that it seemed to imply that patients only needed material things to guarantee them satisfaction. This is not the case since it would be better for some elderly people to be with their families and receive home care on a regular basis rather than have them holed up in institutions receiving medicine and basically being treated like degenerates. Type of Language Generally the language that is used to describe the service users can be said to be discriminatory. This is because they are termed as disabled members of the society and yet some of them have no visible forms of disability (Adams 2010). There is a common perception that the elderly who have no means of employment and have to rely on others are a liability to the general public and should be stored away institutions far away from the public eye. This view is very disturbing given that all of us are destined to be there at one time or the other. There are other members of the society who also fall under these dependent groups such as the terminally ill who have to rely on the care of others. The fact that they are listed as specials groups is already a sign that they are not regarded as the rest of the society and have to be treated with utmost care. For these people to feel like they are treated they should be treated as other individuals although certain specifications need to be met so that they can access basic services. In some cases of the independent groups, they may be having a physical disability but their ability to reason is intact. If given the correct support they can freely engage in alternative forms of employment that suits their conditions. It is therefore unfair for these individuals to be publicly stated as being disabled. This demoralizes them and they feel that the society is not yet ready to embrace them as part of the society (Adams 2010) In regards to the type of language used there is a need to specifically target the various special groups and not to generalize when talking about them. This is because these groups of people identified as independent people usually have different features and each group should be approached with a specific approach. In this way these people can feel as if their needs have been met. Role of the policy Given that the policy caters for the needs of an important segment of the society, it has a direct representation on how we value these groups of people in the society (Statham 2003). A policy that caters for the overall wellbeing of these people and caters for each of their needs is a crucial step in showing them that we care for them. These individuals regularly make use of the health care services in the society with some having to spend their days in these institutions. It is therefore critical that all their needs are catered in several areas. First of all their health care should be guaranteed. The aged in the society often have weak immune systems and as such are very vulnerable to diseases. There should therefore be a system where these diseases can be diagnosed early enough and the appropriate treatment given to them. This should be done in a timely manner to ensure that they do not suffer from any discomfort (Humphries 2000). Another important aspect of their life is shelter. These service users should be placed in well-established centers with the necessary amenities to ensure their wellbeing. It is the right of all of them to be kept in a safe, clean and hospitable environment where they can receive the care they need from the trained personnel. Despite covering all these major areas, the policy does not seem to lay an emphasis on the social aspect of these users. The society has a bigger role to play when it comes to these individuals and it is not simply a matter of taking them and dumping them in the various institutions (Lishman 2007). There should be appropriate follow up to ensure that the social aspect of their lives is also maintained. This can be by various ways. One of these is by encouraging these users to settle in groups. This is because the group setting gives them a sense of belonging and the notion that they still have a role to play in the society. Being old is not a disability as it may seem. Some of these individuals are still active and should be given light duties that they can manage or involve them in basic decision making processes. They should have the right to choose their healthcare providers and make basic personal decisions such as their dressing. Inclusion in societal affairs is also important as they tend to feel as if society is considerate to them. The policy tends to guide how this group of people should be taken care of and this is what is necessary. This policy also gives an allowance for the institutions to be monitored and evaluated on a regular basis and that do not meet the required standards are closed down until they show they can adjust accordingly. This is important since these are places that deal with human life and this should be maintained at high standards. The policy guarantees that there is no exception when it comes to the quality of care that is given to these dependent groups. Impact and Contribution of this Policy The impact of this policy has been far reaching. There has been an overall improvement not only in the quality of treatment that the elderly receive but also the attitude towards them. In the past they were often considered to be a burden to the society and as such very few people wanted to be associated with them (Humphries 2000). The only people that were willing to be with them were the service providers and in most cases they were people who did not have any other work to do. The job of care givers was usually left to immigrants or the unskilled in the society. The policy has changed the perception of this field and it is now common to see professionals lining up to give medical care to these groups of people. In the past institutions were characterized by poorly staffed facilities, weak management and leadership, neglected physical environments and lack of awareness in regards to the relevant policies that would otherwise take care of the users. This situation has changed and in some institutions there has been a complete overhaul so as to bring in more competent staff that can provide the proper care that is needed (Lishman 2007). The performance of the social care centers is determined by considering whether it serves the following elements. It provides empowerment, protection, prevention, partnership, proportionate responses and accountability. These are the pillars that govern the manner in which social care centers are seen. This has led to increased surveillance to ensure that all the centers follow these prescribed standards. It is correct to say dignity has been restored in the way that these people are perceived and the society is living up to its mandate that we should take care of our elderly. Such policies also have an indirect impact on the productivity of a country. This is because the working age groups of the population tend to notice how the older generation is treated by the government in regards to the policies that are put in place. When these policies are friendly and ensure that they live comfortably, the workers are most likely to be more productive since they will be assured of a comfortable setting once they retire. However, when the elderly are treated with despite by the government other citizens lose the zeal to work and as a result their productivity will be low. This is in line with a common saying that the true character of any government is how it treats the vulnerable members of the society (Meulen 2001). Initially, there was an emphasis on the civil rights of the elderly and the recognition of their dignity. With time this has evolved and there is more focus on provision of long term services to this group of people (Lishman 2007). There was also additional funding that was given so as to support the elderly who had minors to take care of and also the caretakers who to support them. The law now provides for the elderly to receive a certain amount of allowance per month to cater to their standards of living and the right to retire in dignity after several years of serving the country. There has also been easy access to transportation services for these people with most of them being allowed to pay lower amounts of fare. Their life has generally been made much simpler. In conclusion, the policies that are targeted at the dependent social groups are very important. They not only help this group of individuals but are also of benefit to the whole population. People are usually relaxed when they know that the elderly members of their society are receiving the necessary care. The role of the government is to ensure the wellbeing of its citizens and by engaging in such policies it is able to meet the target goals. 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