Health & Social Care Assignment Sample

Introduction of Health & Social Care Assignment

In social and health care, Protection and safeguarding of vulnerable individuals is termed as essential as it ensures facilitation of appropriate support and care needs of individuals. For effective delivery of care and support services, it requires depth understanding of protection and safeguard concept along with the understanding of legislative frameworks of social and health care. This essay will include concepts and legislative framework to safeguard interest of vulnerable within Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), a social and health care organization based in the UK. It was established in 1856, is an independent organization, aimed to promote and protect healthcare of public, especially vulnerable individuals such as old people and children. In addition, it will analyse the case reviews and its influence on protection and safeguarding interests of vulnerable individuals. At last, this essay will explain about necessary actions to prevent vulnerable individuals from actual or suspected abuse.

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Task 1

1.1 Concept of protection and safeguarding 

Safeguarding is termed as proactive approach aims to ensure wellbeing of an individual along with the prevention of harmful activities that are likely to cause harm (Moudatsou et al, 2020). It includes measures taken to protect vulnerable individuals from neglect, abuse or unintentional or deliberate acts of harm.in other words, it includes specific policies and measures aims to protect individuals who are in risk due to their age, impairing of functions or disability. On contrary, Protection refers to actions aims to prevent or avert individuals from harmful activities. It involves commencement of legal proceedings against perpetrator; offering guidance and support to needed or harmed individuals or removal of individual from adverse situation which may likely to cause harm (Miller, Glasby and Dickinson, 2021). Protection is based on the approach of empowerment to facilitate support and to identify and establishment of measures to protect rights of vulnerable individuals.

1.2 Legislative Framework for Safeguarding Vulnerable Individuals in Social and health Care

There are multiple legislative frameworks aimed to ensure protection and safeguarding to vulnerable individuals within social and health care in the UK. The Care Act 2014 is sets out regulations and responsibilities for social and health care organisations and local authorities’ aims to promote and safeguard of vulnerable adults needs related to welfare and support (Aveyard, 2023). This act primarily focuses on offering urgent care services and provides support and advices required in the formulation of informed decision for the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals in RSPH. Besides that, the Care Act 2014 emphasises on ensuring vulnerable individuals to have positive care and treatment experience and have information access based on treatment and care.

On the other hand, legislative framework of the safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2006 is a parliament act, aims to cover welfare of vulnerable at risks (Reed et al, 2021). This act defines the regulations of safeguarding ad protection of vulnerable individuals within the UK. In addition, this act further ensures that care professionals of RSPH are aware of rights and needs of vulnerable people to provide them high satisfaction and experience within social and health care. In addition to that, another legislative act to protect and safeguard vulnerable individuals is National Health Services Act, 2006. This act outlines comprehensive health and social care services to vulnerable people by delivering effective care services. In addition, this act empowers care professionals to facilitate support and exchange relevant information, helps them to enjoy autonomy of decisions (MacAlister, 2022). National Health Services Act further guides care providers with establishment of regulatory standards to provided effective care services with respect, dignity and standard care.

1.3 Influence of Serious Case Reviews on Safeguarding and Protection

In case of harmful act or death of vulnerable individual as a result of neglect, deliberate or unintentional activity or abuse, serious case reviews are conducted to investigate prime reasons behind accident (Kavanagh, Rhind and Gordon-Thomson, 2021). Besides that, its purpose is to understand key facts and reasons behind happening of accident or harmful event with vulnerable individual. Serious case reviews have vital influence on protection and safeguard of interests of vulnerable ones within social and health care settings of RSPH. It influences the case reviews by outlining significance of working of care agencies within review findings and clear communication, termed as crucial for producing improvements in care services (Kelly and Green, 2020).

Besides that, serious case reviews offers valuable insights about prime reasons and relevant facts, termed as vital in formulation of decision and appropriate judgement against neglect, deliberate or unintentional activity or abuse. Also, it puts vulnerable individual needs in centre effective decision making for the prevention of serious injury, harm or death. Besides that, serious case reviews are also responsible for amendments in care procedure and policies. For instance: amendment in care act 2014 emphasises on early intervention against harmful and injurious acts, aims to safeguard and protect vulnerable individual care interest (Feldon, 2023).

1.4 Action to be taken in the Event of Actual or suspected Abuse

In case of actual or suspected abuse, it is significant to protect individual from injurious or harmful act by taking immediate action. It includes immediate reporting of concerns to police or local authority such as RSPH to facilitate support to victim of abuse (Hunter et al, 2020). Registration of report to regulatory body results in initiation of investigation and other regulatory proceedings to resolve event of suspected or actual abuse. These care organization possesses' internal procedure and regulations for safeguarding interest of vulnerable victim by considering individual's feelings and wishes. Action related to assessment is taken within RSPH to analysing concerns related to physical injury or harm. This includes evaluation of harmful act and its potential impact on the health of vulnerable individual (Tarrant, 2020). Next action is based on discussion of abusive concerns with designated lead or manager for safeguarding interest of vulnerable individuals. This ensures development of safety policies and its strict compliance to prevent vulnerable individuals from events of abusive or hazardous acts.

2.1 Support of service provision to vulnerable individuals

Service provisions aim to support vulnerable individuals to manage risks and to formulate informed choices with adoption of person-centred approach. This enables the RSPH care providers to deliver relevant, clear and precise information to the individuals (Francis and Pearson, 2021). Furthermore, health and social care service provision guides care professionals to effectively communicate with individuals and helps them to access depth understanding and to manage risks in effective manner. This leads the vulnerable individuals to formulate effective and well informed decisions and further helps them to manage care related risks. Along with that, care professionals of RSPH carries comprehensive care assessment that aims to explains individuals about potential risks and benefits associated with the social and health care, helps them to formulate decisions. This will provide an opportunity to the individuals to identify possible treatment options and to achieve beneficial outcomes with minimized risks (Kellogg, Farst and Adams, 2023). As a result of support from service provisions, vulnerable individuals are accessed with standard treatment, autonomy of decisions and dignity and respect. This enhances their overall satisfaction and experience within social and health care settings.

2.2 Information about symptoms and signs of abuse

Abuse is termed as a negative aspect among protection and safeguarding vulnerable individuals, to prevent vulnerable individuals from abuse, it is essential to provide them appropriate education and training about symptoms and signs of abuse (Wager, Lee and Glaser, 2021). This will help them to identify abuse and guides them to take necessary actions to prevent them. In addition, information is provided to vulnerable individuals by way of posters, banners or leaflets. RSPH Care professionals must ensure that information carried in written resources or education and training is fully accessible (RSPH, 2024). Furthermore, information in written resources should be in concise and clear form that helps vulnerable ones to gain useful insights about abuse and its preventive actions. This will help vulnerable individuals to identify abuse through learnt signs and symptoms and guides them to safeguard themselves (Chauhan et al, 2020). Apart from that, Information about prevention and reporting of abuse is provided through short teasers or visual animated ads with creative diagrams and pictures, helps vulnerable individuals to report abusive events through appropriate channels. Information through creative pictures and animated videos assists them to remember and take actionable measure to prevent themselves from abusive or harmful acts.

2.3 Measures to be taken to avoid abuse from happening

Prevention and safeguarding vulnerable individuals from abuse is one of the primary responsibilities of service providers within RSPH. Establishment of standards with clear guidelines related to appropriate conduct and behaviour with vulnerable individuals while treating them is an effective measure to avoid abuse from happening (Liu et al, 2020). This guides employees and care staff of RSPH about ethical conduct, offer them education and training about compliance of procedures and policies. In addition, it involves identification of potential threats and risks related to abuse and addressing them with best possible solutions to mitigate them. This aims to ensure safety and protection of vulnerable ones from abusive activities. Besides that, person centred approach and open culture is termed as successful measure taken by representatives and service providers towards safeguarding and prevention of vulnerable individuals from abuse. Person centred approach enable service provider to handle vulnerable individuals with care and protects and safeguards them as per the established regulations and rules (Wiig et al, 2020). Open culture encourages individuals to raise their voice against abuse and encourages for suggestions, helps to formulate effective polices to avoid abuse from occurrence.

2.4 Articulation of care with others practices

For maintenance of protection and safety of vulnerable individuals, articulation of practice based on effective collaboration among care professionals of RSPH and multiple agencies work in successful manner. With adoption of practice related to multi-agency collaboration, regular sharing of care information is essential (Lindberg and Lundgren, 2021). Collaboration ensures effective safeguarding among care providers, local authorities and health services, helps them to maintain protection and safety of individuals. Besides that, Practice of suggestion and feedback also guides and assist care providers about their services and offers them an opportunities to improve them towards effective maintenance of safety and protection of vulnerable ones. On contrary, practice of effective communication is crucial to share information that helps RSPH service providers and care authorities to identify potential risks and address them with practical solutions. Practice of effective communication is implemented with organisation of discussions, seminars and meeting with an aim to protect and safeguard vulnerable individuals (Glasdam et al, 2020). This practice ensures that care professionals and service providers are well aware and have enough skills and knowledge to protect and safeguard vulnerable individuals from harmful or abusive activities.

Task 2

3.1 Protocols for working in partnership

Data sharing, effective collaboration and communication are the common agreed protocols for effective working in partnerships among care professionals and multiple care agencies (Shepherd and Hanckel, 2024). Successful working in partnership requires key elements of mission and objectives, clear and concise agreements that highlights responsibilities and roles of care professionals and service providers. For example: RSPH implements the Protocol of effective communication that is crucial to ensure clear exchange of care based information, helps to formulate in well informed decision making. In addition to that, principles of adult social care for integrated care partnerships facilitates about collaboration among social and health care providers that helps to assure their group working (Gov. UK, 2022). This encourages engagement of partners and fosters sharing of information in effective manner to facilitate best care, protection and safeguarding outcomes of vulnerable individuals.

Apart from that, NHS provides statutory guidance about working of care professionals in partnerships, guides about data sharing of vulnerable individuals, helps service providers to deliver effective care services. This helps care partners of RSPH to work in strategic manner towards care treatments and decision making process based on providing standard care to ensure wellbeing of vulnerable people (NHS, 2024). Additionally, Protocol based on confidentiality is another protocol aimed to maintain privacy and secrecy of data and information of care partners. This protocol comprises of confidentiality agreements and disciplinary actions for the breach of protocol.

3.2 Importance of working in partnership with others

There is significant importance of working in partnership with other care providers to accomplish aim of protection and safeguarding of vulnerable individuals (Steinmann et al, 2020). Further, it results in significant improvement in car quality and standards due to working of different individuals of unique talents and skills. This strategic approach of collaboration ensures about meeting if needs and demands of vulnerable individuals holistically. Working in partnership between care agencies and clinical professionals of RSPH facilitates effective communication, helps vulnerable individuals to safeguard and protect their right related to decision making. However, this may lead to confusion and ineffective decision making among partners, leads to negatively impact safeguarding and protection of care needed persons (Masterson et al, 2022). Besides that, partnership working among health and social care organisations, agencies and individuals helps to accomplish shared interest and goals based on protection and safeguarding of interests through collaboration. The coherent and efficient care services prompt responsiveness and shared culture of partnership helps to deliver effective care outcomes among vulnerable individuals.

However, situation of conflict and misunderstanding may arise during partnership working due to ineffective collaboration and unclear distribution of responsibilities and roles among partners (Sauvage and Ahluwalia, 2024). Moreover, partnership working within social and health care settings fosters effective development of relationship among multiple care providers and medical professionals. This promotes sharing of talent and knowledge among RSPH employees and other care providers, results in generation of unique and efficient idea of providing care and treatment to vulnerable individuals in more effective and standard manner (Ferreira et al, 2021). 

4.1 Importance of individuals’ involvement in procedure and system review of services

Involvement of individuals within review of procedures and systems in care services of RSPH are important to ensure increased responsiveness and person centred care to meet needs of vulnerable individuals (Kuran et al, 2020). Individual’s involvement within process of review facilitates them to provide suggestions and feedback based on their experiences and satisfaction towards effective care and concerns to safeguard and protect vulnerable individuals. It also improves care quality and fosters effective relationship among service users and care professionals. In addition, involvement of individuals is crucial for identification of key development areas and has significant contribution towards formulation of effective framework and policies of social and health care. This ensures vulnerable individuals to make strategic and informed use of healthcare resources to avail maximum care outcomes (Gordon, 2020). Moreover, it fosters strong sense of accountability, empowerment and independency among individuals, results in increased experience and satisfaction.

4.2 Review of work setting’s practice and procedure against current legislation and policy

Review of practice and procedure of work setting against current protection and safeguarding policy and legislation for vulnerable persons ensures its compliance to maintain and promote their care and wellbeing based interest (Kelly and Green, 2020). It includes identification of development areas within RSPH and comes up with practical solution such as offering of education and training and comprehensive procedure and policy assessment. Review of work practices and procedures helps to analyse their impact and provided valuable insights about their development to ensure effective protection and safeguarding of vulnerable person’s interest (Feldon, 2023). Regular review assists work setting of RSPH to ensure compliance with current health care policies and legislations and facilitates protection to organization from financial and legal risks.

This safeguards interest of vulnerable individuals along with accomplishment of organizational objective related to delivering and streamlining quality care and its functions (Francis and Pearson, 2021). Review or wok procedure and practices further encourages positive culture of effective responsiveness and ongoing improvement towards feedback of vulnerable ones. Moreover, it allows stakeholders to provide information based on their experiences, perspectives and opinions as feedback, helps to amend procedures and policies of care related to protect and safeguard interest of vulnerable individuals.

Conclusion

From the above essay, it was concluded that social and health care of vulnerable individuals includes protection and safeguarding of their rights, aims to improve their wellbeing and overall satisfaction. It was essential to protect and safeguard them from incidents of abuse, harmful acts and injurious activities by offering them education and training about symptoms and signs of abuse. Legislative framework of The Care Act 2014 and safeguarding vulnerable group’s act 2006 was implemented in UK to ensure effective safeguarding and protection of needed individuals was summarized. Adoption of person centred approach and comprehensive care assessment facilitated support to vulnerable individual towards their safety and protection.

References

Books and Journals

• Aveyard, H., 2023. Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide 5e.
• Chauhan, A., Walton, M., Manias, E., Walpola, R.L., Seale, H., Latanik, M., Leone, D., Mears, S. and Harrison, R., 2020. The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: a systematic review. International journal for equity in health, 19, pp.1-25.
• Feldon, P., 2023. The Social Worker's Guide to the Care Act 2014. Critical Publishing.
• Ferreira, J.B.B., Santos, L.L.D., Ribeiro, L.C., Rodrigues Fracon, B.R. and Wong, S., 2021. Vulnerability and primary health care: an integrative literature review. Journal of primary care & community health, 12, p.21501327211049705.
• Francis, L. and Pearson, D., 2021. The recognition of emotional abuse: Adolescents’ responses to warning signs in romantic relationships. Journal of interpersonal violence, 36(17-18), pp.8289-8313.
• Glasdam, S., Ekstrand, F., Rosberg, M. and van der Schaaf, A.M., 2020. A gap between the philosophy and the practice of palliative healthcare: sociological perspectives on the practice of nurses in specialised palliative homecare. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 23(1), pp.141-152.
• Gordon, B.G., 2020. Vulnerability in research: Basic ethical concepts and general approach to review. Ochsner Journal, 20(1), pp.34-38.
• Hunter, D.J., Redgate, S., Hudson, B. and Peckham, S., 2020. Do policy implementation support programmes work? The case of the Care Act 2014. Journal of Long Term Care, 2020, pp.196-207.
• Kavanagh, E., Rhind, D. and Gordon-Thomson, G., 2021. Duties of care and welfare practices. In Stress, well-being, and performance in sport (pp. 313-331). Routledge.
• Kellogg, N.D., Farst, K.J. and Adams, J.A., 2023. Interpretation of medical findings in suspected child sexual abuse: An update for 2023. Child Abuse & Neglect, 145, p.106283.
• Kelly, S. and Green, T., 2020. Seeing more, better sight: Using an interprofessional model of supervision to support reflective child protection practice within the health setting. The British Journal of Social Work, 50(3), pp.814-832.
• Kuran, C.H.A., Morsut, C., Kruke, B.I., Krüger, M., Segnestam, L., Orru, K., Nævestad, T.O., Airola, M., Keränen, J., Gabel, F. and Hansson, S., 2020. Vulnerability and vulnerable groups from an intersectionality perspective. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 50, p.101826.
• Lindberg, J. and Lundgren, A.S., 2021. Positioning the ageing subject: articulations of choice in Swedish and UK health and social care. Policy Studies.
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• MacAlister, J., 2022. The independent review of children’s social care. UK: UK Government.
• Masterson, D., Areskoug Josefsson, K., Robert, G., Nylander, E. and Kjellström, S., 2022. Mapping definitions of co‐production and co‐design in health and social care: a systematic scoping review providing lessons for the future. Health Expectations, 25(3), pp.902-913.
• Miller, R., Glasby, J. and Dickinson, H., 2021. Integrated health and social care in England: ten years on. International journal of integrated care, 21(4).
• Moudatsou, M., Stavropoulou, A., Philalithis, A. and Koukouli, S., 2020, January. The role of empathy in health and social care professionals. In Healthcare (Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 26).
• Reed, S., Oung, C., Davies, J., Dayan, M. and Scobie, S., 2021. Integrating health and social care. Nuffield Trust: London, UK.
• Shepherd, A. and Hanckel, B., 2024. Ontologies of transition (s) in healthcare practice: Examining the lived experiences and representations of transgender adults transitioning in healthcare. In Social Perspectives on Trans Health (pp. 41-57). Routledge.
• Steinmann, G., van De Bovenkamp, H., De Bont, A. and Delnoij, D., 2020. Redefining value: a discourse analysis on value-based health care. BMC health services research, 20, pp.1-13.
• Tarrant, A., 2020. Personal budgets in adult social care: the fact and the fiction of the Care Act 2014. Journal of social welfare and family law, 42(3), pp.281-298.
• Wager, K.A., Lee, F.W. and Glaser, J.P., 2021. Health care information systems: a practical approach for health care management. John Wiley & Sons.
• Wiig, S., Aase, K., Billett, S., Canfield, C., Røise, O., Njå, O., Guise, V., Haraldseid-Driftland, C., Ree, E., Anderson, J.E. and Macrae, C., 2020. Defining the boundaries and operational concepts of resilience in the resilience in healthcare research program. BMC health services research, 20, pp.1-9.

Online

• Gov. UK, (2022). Adult social care principles for integrated care partnerships. Online. Available through: <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-principles-for-integrated-care-partnerships>.
• NHS, (2024). Working in partnership with people and communities: Statutory guidance. Online. Available through: <https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-in-partnership-with-people-and-communities-statutory-guidance/>. 
• RSPH, (2024). About Us. Online. Available through: <https://www.rsph.org.uk/>. 
•  Sauvage, J., and Ahluwalia, S., (2024). Health and care professionals committed to partnership working: right wall of the House of Care framework. Online. Available through: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684026/>.

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