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Working, living and dying in COVID times: perspectives from frontline adult social care workers in the UK
- Authors:
- BRIGGS Daniel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Safer Communities, 20(3), 2021, pp.208-222.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: This paper aims to explore 15 UK adult social care workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: This paper’s 15 open-ended interviews with adult social care workers are complemented by digital ethnography in COVID-19 social media forums. This data set is taken from a global mixed-methods study, involving over 2,000 participants from 59 different countries. Findings: Workers reported a lack of planning, guidance and basic provisions including personal protective equipment. Work intensification brought stress, workload pressure and mental health problems. Family difficulties and challenges of living through the pandemic, often related to government restrictions, intensified these working conditions with precarious living arrangements. The workers also relayed a myriad of challenges for their residents in which, the circumstances appear to have exacerbated dementia and general health problems including dehydration, delirium and loneliness. Whilst COVID-19 was seen as partially responsible for resident deaths, the sudden disruptions to daily life and prohibitions on family visits were identified as additional contributing factors in rapid and sudden decline. Research limitations/implications: Whilst the paper’s sample cohort is small, given the significance of COVID-19 at this present time the findings shed important light on the care home experience as well as act as a baseline for future study. Social implications: Care homes bore the brunt of illness and death during the first and second COVID-19 waves in the UK, and many of the problems identified here have still yet to be actioned by the government. As people approach the summer months, an urgent review is required of what happened in care homes and this paper could act as some part of that evidence gathering. Originality/value: This paper offers revealing insights from frontline care home workers and thus provides an empirical snapshot during this unique phase in recent history. It also builds upon the preliminary/emerging qualitative research evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted care homes, care workers and the residents. (Edited publisher abstract)
From gatekeeper to friend and back again: embracing the world of the street drug user
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Drugs and Alcohol Today, 12(2), 2012, pp.72-81.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Research with street drug users is becoming increasingly difficult to undertake. In the main, it is perceived as “too risky” and frequently raises practical, ethical and emotional issues for researchers. However, this doesn't mean it is impossible. One of the most challenging areas is the management of field relations – especially with gatekeepers. The main aim of this article is to provide an account of how gatekeeper field relations are developed and experienced in the context of researching street drug users. The article is based on a reflexive account to comment upon the experience of the author engaged in ethnographic research. The author examines how field relations are influenced by the specific social and structural contexts in which the project took place and makes critical reflections on how these relationships impacted on him – professionally, personally and emotionally. The article is intended for academics or researchers who are looking to study similar social groups.
Researching death: some reflections on life
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 12(4), 2011, pp.229-233.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
In this article, the author presents personal reflections on the practical and social implications and emotional impact of a project he undertook in 2009 to review end of life care for terminally ill patients in a London borough. The article describes the project, which included qualitative interviews with 50 terminally ill patients and carers, and the process of working with the commissioning primary care trust and with the individual participants interviewed. It also discusses the impact of carrying out the research on the researcher.
Reducing hospital admissions from care homes: considering the role of a local enhanced service from GPs
- Authors:
- BRIGGS Daniel, BRIGHT Les
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 15(1), March 2011, pp.4-12.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Since the 1970s, the number of private and voluntary care homes for older people have risen dramatically, with the NHS now playing a minor role. However, in some areas where there is a concentration of care homes, GPs have expressed concern about their capacity to provide an effective service to residents without additional resources. Some primary care trusts (PCTs) have since responded by making funds available to enable an improved service to be established. This article looks at the impact of one local enhanced service on the work of GPs, care staff and residents in a London borough. Eight home care professionals and three GPs where interviewed to reflect on elements of the current practice, the efficiency of processes, and offer suggestions to improve the services provided. Three key themes emerged: working relationships and communications; service efficiency; and residents’ experiences. Overall, findings suggested that positive working relationships were integral to communication, which affected the level of service efficiency and quality.
Crack houses in the UK: some observations on their operations
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Drugs and Alcohol Today, 10(4), December 2010, pp.33-42.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The operations of crack houses have received significant attention in the US. In the UK, by comparison, the crack house literature has leaned more towards examining methods to close crack houses, rather than seeking to understand the operations that support them and their social function. This paper is based on ethnographic research with crack cocaine users and crack houses in a London borough. From September 2004 to May 2005, 112 days were spent with crack users and 54 open-ended interviews were conducted. All participants were guaranteed confidentiality and anonymity. Interview and observational data was categorised thematically. The themes that emerged from the research are discussed in relation to the operations of three UK crack houses. The paper attempts to show the complexities of crack house management against the structural and social pressures of the crack scene. It concludes that the organisation and operation of crack houses makes them difficult to categorise.
Crack cocaine users: ways in, ways down, but ways out?
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Safer Communities, 9(4), October 2010, pp.9-21.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Using data from individual case studies of drug misuse collected between 2004 and 2005, this article explores how crack cocaine misuse begins and what happens to crack users over time. The problem of trying to get crack users to access and engage with drug support services in the UK; the reasons for crack users drop out of drug services and their unmet needs are all explored using material from 54 open-ended interviews about the ‘crack careers’ of users from South London. Many accounts are quoted in the participants’ own words. Potential links between crime and the crack scene are also covered
Researching 'dangerous' and 'problematic' populations: some methodological reflections
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Safer Communities, 9(3), July 2010, pp.49-59.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The data used for this paper was gathered from projects which made use of ethnographic methods (examining the behaviour and interaction of groups in natural settings, using field observation and open ended interviewing techniques). The article provides a brief introduction to ethnography as a research method and ethnographic research with 'dangerous' (describing those who pose a serious risk to the public) and 'problematic' (describing those who are particularly difficult to approach, who are involved in crime and who are likely to have criminal histories and/or use drugs) populations, and presents examples from ethnographic research including a project that examined the use and impact of ASBOs, a project examining the reasons why crack cocaine users were not engaging with local drug services, and a project investigating young black men's over-representation in street robbery offences. The author argues for consideration to be given to the use of ethnographic research methods with such populations to inform policy and practice.
Notes on the end of life: the social interactions between patients, carers and professionals
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 11(2), June 2010, pp.35-46.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Using data from the findings of an NHS primary care trust funded consultation examining the quality of end of life care services in a London borough, this paper reports on social interactions between patients, carers and professionals during end of life care. The project used ethnographic methods (open-ended qualitative interviews and observations) with 50 residents, of whom 30 were patients and 20 were carers, examining their knowledge of services, experiences of services with which they had contact, the efficiency of those services, and suggestions for improvements. The author discusses the findings on patients' and carers' views of end of life care services, how emotions and social relations develop between patients, carers and professionals, and the resulting complex social relationships between patients, carers and professionals as a result of their experiences of those services and as a consequence of the emotional suffering that they endure through the process, concluding that the consultation found some good aspects to end of life care but that there was still room for improvement, and setting out some implications for practice.
'The world is out to get me, bruv': life after school 'exclusion'
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Safer Communities, 9(2), April 2010, pp.9-19.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Examining processes of school exclusion, and in particular 'unofficial exclusion' (where problematic pupils are not permanently excluded and referred to local authority educational alternatives but are referred to other forms of off-site educational centres), this paper reviews some of the key policy debates around urban youth, school exclusion and off-site educational centres, and describes a research project undertaken in a south London borough in 2009 which aimed to examine the reasons for the behaviour of 20 excluded young people in and out of school and their attitudes to education, the reasons why they had been referred to off-site educational centres, and their progress in these centres. Open-ended qualitative interviews were carried out with pupils, and interviews were also undertaken with head teachers and staff at the off-site educational centres. The author discusses the findings and what happens to these young people after their exclusion from school, suggesting that the unofficial exclusion has significant life implications, and contributes to social exclusion and increased exposure to crime and victimisation.
'Robbery careers': desistance attempts
- Author:
- BRIGGS Daniel
- Journal article citation:
- Safer Communities, 7(3), July 2008, pp.27-34.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The author provides four case studies of the street robbery careers of young people highlighting key turning points and pathways into and out of street robbery and gangs. The studies show how robbery, gang affiliation and participation in 'street culture' have implications for progression through robber careers into other criminal activities.