The Audit Commission is pressing for a whole-systems approach to council-NHS working. Looks at a report from the Audit Commission on integrated services for older people, and reports on two other studies which highlight the difficulties in achieving a whole-systems approach.
The Audit Commission is pressing for a whole-systems approach to council-NHS working. Looks at a report from the Audit Commission on integrated services for older people, and reports on two other studies which highlight the difficulties in achieving a whole-systems approach.
Subject terms:
hospitals, integrated services, interagency cooperation, intermediate care, multidisciplinary services, older people, outcomes, hospital discharge, social care provision, care homes;
Journal of Interprofessional Care, 16(1), February 2002, pp.7-17.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Partnership working is now a central plank of public policy in the UK, especially in the field of health and social care. However, much of the policy thrust has been at the level of interorganisational working rather than at the level of interprofessional partnerships. The empirical and theoretical literature is largely sceptical about the feasibility of effective joint working between separate but related professionals--the 'pessimistic tradition'. Based upon an empirical study of general practitioners, community nurses and social workers in northern England, this article challenges such a tradition and proposes an 'optimistic hypothesis' for further investigation.
Partnership working is now a central plank of public policy in the UK, especially in the field of health and social care. However, much of the policy thrust has been at the level of interorganisational working rather than at the level of interprofessional partnerships. The empirical and theoretical literature is largely sceptical about the feasibility of effective joint working between separate but related professionals--the 'pessimistic tradition'. Based upon an empirical study of general practitioners, community nurses and social workers in northern England, this article challenges such a tradition and proposes an 'optimistic hypothesis' for further investigation.
Subject terms:
interagency cooperation, joint working, interprofessional relations, nurses, multidisciplinary services, occupational therapists, older people, organisational structure, organisations, policy, primary care, social welfare, social work, social care, social care provision, social workers, teamwork, assessment, attitudes, care management, community health care, community nurses, decision making, general practitioners, health care;