Friday, May 22, 2020

How Perception Affects Managers Job Positively Or...

Outline: †¢ Introduction: perception definition, and why it’s important in Ob. †¢ Body I. How perception affects managers job: positively or negatively. II. Examples from: Managerial activities, performance evaluation, employee interviews, managerial decision making. III. What are the implications that the manager could learn from? †¢ Conclusion: a brief summary, and additional information but not new. â€Å"Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. However, what we perceive can be substantially different from objective reality† (Robbins, Judge, Millet, Boyle, 2013, p.142). Robbins et al (2013) stated that Workers in an association may see it as an incredible spot to work- ideal working conditions, fascinating occupation assignments, great pay, fabulous profits, understanding and capable administration at the same time, as the majority of us know, its extremely surprising to discover such agreement. According to Aque. (2007,  ¶14) â€Å"The current form of perception relates back clearly to its original Latin meaning as the action of taking possession, apprehension with the mind or senses. Perception is what allows us to make sense of the world through the experience of our senses and the collection of data but the question remains of how we perceive and what it means to perceive. To perceive something is thus not to understand something, but rather to hold thatShow MoreRelatedCommunication And Its Effects On Employees s Perceptions Towards Organizational Changes902 Words   |  4 Pagesemployee’s perceptions towards organizational changes have been extensively studied. Communication, if poorly managed, can lead to negative consequences including employee’s frustration, uncertainty, change contempt (Frahm Brown (2007), Bordia, Hunt, Paulsen (2004)), psychological strain, low job satisfaction, and increase in turnover intention (Bordia, Hunt, Paulsen (2004)). If effectively managed, communica tion can result in multiple positive effects such as employee’s positive perception towardsRead MoreEssay about Managers Attitude Effects Employees765 Words   |  4 PagesLine managers’ attitudes and behaviors influence the effectiveness of work-life balance policy and employee work-life balance experience. As traditional linear career paths change, the responsibility of managers in applying HRM practices and adopting new HRM policy has become greater than before. In a study examining the relationship between line manager behavior, perceived HRM practices, and individual performance, the findings showed that line managers play a significant role in implementing andRead MoreThe Intent Of Practising Teleworking1472 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Since Nilles first defined the term ‘telecommunicating’ (Nilles 1975), or alternatively, teleworking, this new method of performing the job has been more and more exercised as a cure for various ‘organisational ills’, for example, work-family balance (Bailey Kurland 2002). By the end of last century, there were 1.1 million employees in USA working out of office (Bailey Kurland 2002). 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According to Bass (European Journal of work and Organizatioal psychology 1999), transformational leadership is more effectiveRead MoreManaging A City s Health Benefits850 Words   |  4 PagesIn the following case study we will review the case â€Å"Managing a City’s Health Benefits â€Å". We will be discussing how Herzeberg’s satisfiers and dissatisfiers seem to be demonstrated. We will also be reviewing how unfriendly the state laws are to the labor force and how it should influence the management’s decision. Lastly we will discuss the best way to lead organizational change and how it can be applied effectively to this case. The problem as described in the case study is the fact that the cityRead MoreTransformational Leadership Is Developed By Political Sociologist James Mac Gregor Burns Essay1124 Words   |  5 Pagestransformational leadership and employees’ job satisfaction among the academic staff The authors of this article performed a study by collecting 214 questionnaires from academic staff to evaluate the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ job satisfaction. The study also emphasized the relationship among the variables: idealized influence, individual consideration, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation and job satisfaction. The outcome of their study indicatedRead MoreStarbucks as a Strategic Plan Outline1369 Words   |  6 Pagessuppliers to create a positive change. 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Saturday, May 9, 2020

Company Culture Influences Behavior Within A Company

Businesses do not exist in a vacuum. It is hard to even imagine one that is completely isolated from external input. In fact, they are constantly subjected to influence from both the outside and the inside. In open systems, a relationship exists between a business and its surroundings in which awareness of that constant input and output is vital. In order for a startup company like Everyday Indulgence to move forward strategically and become successfully established, its leadership must identify and consider both internal and external environments. Stakeholders like employees, owners, and executives within a company as well as the forces that impact the way they behave make up the internal environment. Such forces include the culture†¦show more content†¦Using the example of dessert delivery service, Everyday Indulgence, setting the tone within the startup business is especially important early on, when there are only a few employees. A wide variety of tasks will be shouldered by a small team of people and there is bound to be a significant learning curve. Hiring individuals with values that are aligned with the company’s is a good start and continuous training with an ever present owner/manager will further develop employee confidence and expertise. Mentoring and training employees leads to a desirable output in the form of both product and service, while poorly trained staff produce the opposite. Communication, written, verbal, and in the form of daily staff meetings will foster an atmosphere of teamwork, support, and comradery, whereas lack of communication on such a small team will lead to disorganization and a disconnected feeling among team members. The success or failure of startup companies like Everyday Indulgence is greatly impacted by its internal environment. Also a powerful influence on a company, the external environment, including both the general and task/competitive environments, refers to all outside forces that affect said organization. Some general environmental factors are the following: laws, economy,

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Analysis Of Health And Social Care In The Uk Free Essays

ABSTRACT This analysis provides a review on the health and social care services in the UK. This will include an exploration of inequalities with the care sectors from the focus of the policy and individual and a discussion on promotion of equality and individual rights within the care sector. A brief history of social care in the UK will also be given. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis Of Health And Social Care In The Uk or any similar topic only for you Order Now A clear understanding of inequalities in health is of critical importance so as to develop policies and interventions that support all sections of the society and direct care, treatment and services in proportion to need. Social workers can play an important role in these inequalities by working with service users in increasing their social and material resources and providing them access to information and support systems as well as maximizing their capacity to managing their health. INTRODUCTION At a time when there is a growing population in need of care, yet inequalities in health and social care challenge effective provision of services, the UK government face the central question: how should inequalities in health care be tackled and how can government ensure the promotion of individual rights within the care sector (Alcock, et.al., 2006)In order to explore on this subject, we must first define what we mean by social care. Social care encompasses a range of services that help people maintain independence, help them manage complex relationships, protect them in vulnerable situations and enable them to play a fuller part in the society (DOH 2006). It includes the provision of personal care, social work, protection and social support services to children and vulnerable adults. The provision of social care is often deemed necessary at old age or when an individual is suffering from long-term illness, learning and physical/sensory disability or mental illness. RATIONALE The current system in the UK is perceived unfair in the provision services in health care. There are huge disparities in the provision of health care services in parts of the UK with the spearheaded areas experiencing worst health care and deprivation (Ellison Pierson 2003). The central focus of health inequalities policies have primarily been on health care and NHS funding. While significant progress has been made over the past decade by the National Health Service, inequalities still remain prevalent in the health care (Adams 2007). BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL CARE IN THE UK Social care has long been in existence as an informal concept through family support, community support and charitable works (Manson, et.al., 2004). The earliest Parliamentary Act that offered formal support to social care was the Poor Law of 1601 (Manson, et.al., 2004). This Act of parliament referred those in need of domestic care, health care, employment and housing to the care of their Parish. The advent of social work in the 19th century offered more formal support to social care. From medieval times, care was provided mostly by faith organizations or voluntary associations (Manson, et.al., 2004). The coming into power by the liberal government in 1906 was accompanied with the provision of formal health and social care that led to the establishment of the National Health Services (NHS) and the Welfare state in England during the 1940s (Manson, et.al., 2004). This herald a new dawn for social work by making access to formal health and social care services free at the point of need. The care standards Act of 2000 further increased the recognition of social work with the introduction of a degree in social work and the social workers’ register (Porter Teisberg 2006). It is a requirement for social workers to hold an Honours degree or postgraduate MA in social work and to register with the General Social Care Council prior to commencing work. With this background knowledge in mind, it is worth examining the types of services provided by agencies in social care. SERVICES PROVIDED BY STATUTORY AND VOLUNTARY CARE AGENCIES Care services include services provided at care homes, domiciliary care, foster care, respite care and care provided at community venues (Jordan 2008). DOMICILIARY CARE/HOME CARE This is the care that is provided at home and is suited for persons that have less acute need (Francis 2012). Limited nursing care may be provided by a District Nurse when needed. Nursing care is usually provided in care homes especially for the more infirm elderly as such individuals are often in need of medical attention and a greater level of care (Lovell Cordeaux 1999). Domiciliary care aims at providing help with a specific task such as bathing or waking up in the morning. Traditionally, family members, friends and partners have provided domiciliary care. There is however a growing number of voluntary and statutory agencies providing domiciliary care services in the UK. Care UK is one such provider which has been approved to provide domiciliary care services to 55 local authorities in the UK (Francis 2012). Care UK provides domiciliary care to many service users including older people with dementia, children, individuals who are physically disabled and those with sensory impairments as well as serving adults with specialist needs such as mental illness, learning difficulties, HIV and acquired brain injury (Francis 2012). RESPITE CARE This can be defined as a temporary relief provided for an elderly or the carer and may take the following forms (Lovell Cordeaux 1999): Taking a break away from the daily routine by the elderly such as a going on a holiday. A short stay in a care home so that the carer can go on a holiday Increased support at home to enable the carer to pursue his/her interests Respite care may be as little as a day, a week or even an hour per week depending on the circumstances of the individual. Under the Carers Recognition and Services Act 1995, a carer who provides substantial care to his/her relative, friend, neighbour or partner is entitled to his/her own separate assessment by social services (Lovell Cordeaux 1999). If assessed as in need of respite care, then this can be arranged by them. FOSTER CARE This refers to the care provided to a minor who has been made a â€Å"ward† (Curry Ham 2010). The minor is placed in the hands of a licensed or state certified caregiver who is often referred to as the foster parent. Foster care placement may be voluntary or involuntary. Where the biological parent is not able to provide the needed care to the minor, then voluntary placement may occur. However, where the minor is at risk of physical or psychological harm, then involuntary placement occurs (Curry Ham 2010). There are many agencies providing fostering services in the UK. FosterCare UK is one independent non-profit organization established in 2007 to provide foster care services to minors in London and South East (Porter Teisberg 2006). FosterCare UK recruits, trains, approves and supports foster carers to work with young people with complex and challenging needs (Porter Teisberg 2006). COMMUNITY CARE Care may as well be provided at community venues such as drop-in and day care centres. A good example is the Community Integrated Care (CIC) group, one of the leading nonprofit social and health care providers in the UK (Porter Teisberg 2006). CIC is a national and registered charity that works in the community by providing support to people with a diverse range of needs across England and Scotland (Porter Teisberg 2006). The group provides support to people with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and mental health conditions. It also provides a range of support services to older people with dementia. Further, CIC provides homelessness services such as housing, personal development and training and education to homeless people (Porter Teisberg 2006). While there are a number of agencies, both statutory and voluntary, offering social care services to vulnerable individuals, challenges still remain in the provision of such services. Health inequality is one major challenge which has continued to undermine the effective provision of services in the health care. INEQUALITIES IN HEALTH In the UK, the black and minority ethnic (BME) groups have in general reported ill-health and their dissatisfaction with the care services. A large proportion of the UK population constitutes the white. According to the 2001 census, the white accounted for 92% of the total population while the Black British and Asians accounted for 2% and 4% respectively (DOH 2006). Ethnic differences in the delivery and uptake of health care services have been reported. For example, access to care for coronary heart disease has been found to be lower among the South Asians (DOH 2006). With reference to prevention, the rates of smoking cessation have been found to be lower in these minority groups compared to the whites (DOH 2006). Additionally, most of these minority groups have indicated higher rates of dissatisfaction with the services provided by the NHS. For example, according to the Healthcare Commission patient surveys, most of the South Asians reported poorer experiences in hospitals as inpatients (DOH 2006). Many of these minority groups experience higher rates of poverty than the whites, in terms of area deprivation, worklessness, income, and the lack of basic necessities. This perhaps explains the variation in self-reported health. However, other than their socio-economic status, there is a complex interplay of factors that may be responsible for causing such inequalities including discrimination, racism, poor delivery of health care services, biological susceptibility and the differences in culture and lifestyles (DOH 2006). PROGRESS AND INITIATIVES TOWARDS REDUCING INEQUALITY IN HEALTH CARE Policy developments have tried to tackle inequalities in health. Acheson’s Independent Inquiry of 1998 was a key initiative that put health inequalities on the policy agenda (Stuart 2003). It emphasized on how poverty, the wider inequalities and exclusion were impacting on the provision of health care services. Subsequent policies have also recognized inequalities in health as multi-faceted and focused on reducing these inequalities. The central focus of health inequalities policies have primarily been on health care and NHS funding (Baldock, et.al., 2007). Besides the socioeconomic inequalities, policies have also focused explicitly on equity between the various ethnic groups. Identifying good practice in racial equality and mainstreaming strategies in health services has been the main approach to tackling inequalities (Baldock, et.al., 2007). A number initiatives have been commissioned by the Department of Health to collate good practice in equality in health such as Race for Health, Pacesetters and handling problems like language barriers and barrier to access of health care resources (Stuart 2003). More recently, major reforms have been made to the NHS. The role that Primary Care Trust plays in health care has expanded and changes have been made to practice based commissioning, competition, and involvement of patient as well as plurality of providers (Lewis, et.al 2010). These reforms are seen as making it easier tailor health care services to local populations thus meeting the needs of everyone, including the minority groups. The Department of Health has also initiated the Mosaic programme, which aims at developing and maintaining good practice in procurement, based on the Commission for Racial Equality guidelines (DOH 2006). Concerns have however been raised by critics that the initiative may not be of benefit to the minority and deprived groups and they have called for an examination of the impact that these reforms may have on equalities. While there has been a remarkable progress towards reducing inequalities in the health care sector in UK, there is still the need to develop more policies and interventions that support all sections of the society and direct care, treatment and services in proportion to need. This includes advocating for the promotion of individual rights within the care sector. PROMOTION OF EQUALITY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS In this regard, individual rights include, but are not limited to (Adams 2007): The right to respect Not to be discriminated against Right to practice their cultural and religious beliefs Making their own choices Right to equality or to be treated in a similar manner as the rest of the population Treated as an individual Right to be treated in a dignified way Right to privacy or confidentiality Protection from harm and danger Right to have access to information, especially where that information concerns them Communication using their preferred methods. There is thus the need for recognition of the immense diversity amongst individuals in the British society and how care agencies, both voluntary and statutory, can accommodate this diversity. This promotion of equality and individual rights is crucial for effective provision of care services. That is, social workers need to treat everyone as an individual, have respect for individual’s diversity and cultural values, promote equal treatment and opportunities for individuals, empower individuals, support them express their needs and experiences, ensure their well-being, work in ways consistent with the individual’s preferences and beliefs, avoid their discrimination and put the individual’s preference at the heart of service provisions through person centred planning approach (Adams 2007). CONCLUSION Social care services are provided to vulnerable individuals to protect them from harm, promote their independence and social inclusion, preserve or advance their physical and mental health, improve their opportunities and life chances, strengthen their families and protect and promote their individual human rights. In spite of the importance of provision of social care services, it is apparent that the current system in the UK is perceived unfair in the provision of health care services. There seems to be huge disparities in health care service provisions in parts of the UK with the spearheaded areas experiencing worst health care and deprivation. A remarkable progress has however been made towards reducing inequalities in the health A number initiatives have been commissioned by the Department of Health to collate good practice in equality in health such as Race for Health, Pacesetters and major reforms made to the NHS. These are seen as making it easier to tailor health care services to local populations thus meeting the needs of everyone, including the minority groups. While there has been a remarkable progress made, there is still the need to develop more policies and interventions that support all sections of the society and direct care, treatment and services in proportion to need. Social workers can play an important role in reducing health inequalities by working with service users in increasing their social and material resources and providing them access to information and support systems as well as maximizing their capacity to managing their health. REFERENCE Adams, R., 2007. Foundations of health and social care. Palgrave publishers Alcock, P., et.al., 2006. Students companion to social policy. Blackwell publishers Baldock et al (eds), 2007. Social Policy, Oxford University Press. Bradshaw, et.al., 1978. Issues in social policy. Routledge. Curry N. and C. Ham, 2010. Clinical and Service Integration: The route to improved outcomes. London: The King’s Fund. Available at: www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/clinical_and_service.html (accessed on 16 February 2012). Department of Health (DOH), 2006. Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A New Direction for Community Services. London: DOH Department of Health, 1998. Modernising social services. Crown publishers. Hill, M., 2006. Social policy in the modern world. Blackwell publishers Ellison, N. and C. Pierson, 2003. Developments in British Social Policy. Palgrave publishers Francis, J., 2012. An overview of the UK domiciliary care sector. Sutton. United Kingdom Home Care Association Ltd. Jordan, B., 2008. Social policy for the 21st century (New Perspective). Polity Press. Lewis R, et.al., 2010. Where Next for Integrated Care Organisations in the NHSLondon: Nuffield Trust. Lovell, T and C. Cordeaux, 1999. Social Policy for Health and Social Care. Hodder and Stoughton. Mason, et.al, 2004. BTEC Introduction Health and Social Care. Heinemann. Platt, L, 2002. Parallel livesPoverty among ethnic minority groups in Britain, London. Porter, M. and E. Teisberg, 2006. Redefining Health Care: Creating Value- Based Competition On Results. Harvard Business School Press. Stuart, et.al, 2003. Tackling Health Inequalities since the Acheson Inquiry, Bristol How to cite Analysis Of Health And Social Care In The Uk, Essay examples

Analysis Of Health And Social Care In The Uk Free Essays

ABSTRACT This analysis provides a review on the health and social care services in the UK. This will include an exploration of inequalities with the care sectors from the focus of the policy and individual and a discussion on promotion of equality and individual rights within the care sector. A brief history of social care in the UK will also be given. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis Of Health And Social Care In The Uk or any similar topic only for you Order Now A clear understanding of inequalities in health is of critical importance so as to develop policies and interventions that support all sections of the society and direct care, treatment and services in proportion to need. Social workers can play an important role in these inequalities by working with service users in increasing their social and material resources and providing them access to information and support systems as well as maximizing their capacity to managing their health. INTRODUCTION At a time when there is a growing population in need of care, yet inequalities in health and social care challenge effective provision of services, the UK government face the central question: how should inequalities in health care be tackled and how can government ensure the promotion of individual rights within the care sector (Alcock, et.al., 2006)In order to explore on this subject, we must first define what we mean by social care. Social care encompasses a range of services that help people maintain independence, help them manage complex relationships, protect them in vulnerable situations and enable them to play a fuller part in the society (DOH 2006). It includes the provision of personal care, social work, protection and social support services to children and vulnerable adults. The provision of social care is often deemed necessary at old age or when an individual is suffering from long-term illness, learning and physical/sensory disability or mental illness. RATIONALE The current system in the UK is perceived unfair in the provision services in health care. There are huge disparities in the provision of health care services in parts of the UK with the spearheaded areas experiencing worst health care and deprivation (Ellison Pierson 2003). The central focus of health inequalities policies have primarily been on health care and NHS funding. While significant progress has been made over the past decade by the National Health Service, inequalities still remain prevalent in the health care (Adams 2007). BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL CARE IN THE UK Social care has long been in existence as an informal concept through family support, community support and charitable works (Manson, et.al., 2004). The earliest Parliamentary Act that offered formal support to social care was the Poor Law of 1601 (Manson, et.al., 2004). This Act of parliament referred those in need of domestic care, health care, employment and housing to the care of their Parish. The advent of social work in the 19th century offered more formal support to social care. From medieval times, care was provided mostly by faith organizations or voluntary associations (Manson, et.al., 2004). The coming into power by the liberal government in 1906 was accompanied with the provision of formal health and social care that led to the establishment of the National Health Services (NHS) and the Welfare state in England during the 1940s (Manson, et.al., 2004). This herald a new dawn for social work by making access to formal health and social care services free at the point of need. The care standards Act of 2000 further increased the recognition of social work with the introduction of a degree in social work and the social workers’ register (Porter Teisberg 2006). It is a requirement for social workers to hold an Honours degree or postgraduate MA in social work and to register with the General Social Care Council prior to commencing work. With this background knowledge in mind, it is worth examining the types of services provided by agencies in social care. SERVICES PROVIDED BY STATUTORY AND VOLUNTARY CARE AGENCIES Care services include services provided at care homes, domiciliary care, foster care, respite care and care provided at community venues (Jordan 2008). DOMICILIARY CARE/HOME CARE This is the care that is provided at home and is suited for persons that have less acute need (Francis 2012). Limited nursing care may be provided by a District Nurse when needed. Nursing care is usually provided in care homes especially for the more infirm elderly as such individuals are often in need of medical attention and a greater level of care (Lovell Cordeaux 1999). Domiciliary care aims at providing help with a specific task such as bathing or waking up in the morning. Traditionally, family members, friends and partners have provided domiciliary care. There is however a growing number of voluntary and statutory agencies providing domiciliary care services in the UK. Care UK is one such provider which has been approved to provide domiciliary care services to 55 local authorities in the UK (Francis 2012). Care UK provides domiciliary care to many service users including older people with dementia, children, individuals who are physically disabled and those with sensory impairments as well as serving adults with specialist needs such as mental illness, learning difficulties, HIV and acquired brain injury (Francis 2012). RESPITE CARE This can be defined as a temporary relief provided for an elderly or the carer and may take the following forms (Lovell Cordeaux 1999): Taking a break away from the daily routine by the elderly such as a going on a holiday. A short stay in a care home so that the carer can go on a holiday Increased support at home to enable the carer to pursue his/her interests Respite care may be as little as a day, a week or even an hour per week depending on the circumstances of the individual. Under the Carers Recognition and Services Act 1995, a carer who provides substantial care to his/her relative, friend, neighbour or partner is entitled to his/her own separate assessment by social services (Lovell Cordeaux 1999). If assessed as in need of respite care, then this can be arranged by them. FOSTER CARE This refers to the care provided to a minor who has been made a â€Å"ward† (Curry Ham 2010). The minor is placed in the hands of a licensed or state certified caregiver who is often referred to as the foster parent. Foster care placement may be voluntary or involuntary. Where the biological parent is not able to provide the needed care to the minor, then voluntary placement may occur. However, where the minor is at risk of physical or psychological harm, then involuntary placement occurs (Curry Ham 2010). There are many agencies providing fostering services in the UK. FosterCare UK is one independent non-profit organization established in 2007 to provide foster care services to minors in London and South East (Porter Teisberg 2006). FosterCare UK recruits, trains, approves and supports foster carers to work with young people with complex and challenging needs (Porter Teisberg 2006). COMMUNITY CARE Care may as well be provided at community venues such as drop-in and day care centres. A good example is the Community Integrated Care (CIC) group, one of the leading nonprofit social and health care providers in the UK (Porter Teisberg 2006). CIC is a national and registered charity that works in the community by providing support to people with a diverse range of needs across England and Scotland (Porter Teisberg 2006). The group provides support to people with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and mental health conditions. It also provides a range of support services to older people with dementia. Further, CIC provides homelessness services such as housing, personal development and training and education to homeless people (Porter Teisberg 2006). While there are a number of agencies, both statutory and voluntary, offering social care services to vulnerable individuals, challenges still remain in the provision of such services. Health inequality is one major challenge which has continued to undermine the effective provision of services in the health care. INEQUALITIES IN HEALTH In the UK, the black and minority ethnic (BME) groups have in general reported ill-health and their dissatisfaction with the care services. A large proportion of the UK population constitutes the white. According to the 2001 census, the white accounted for 92% of the total population while the Black British and Asians accounted for 2% and 4% respectively (DOH 2006). Ethnic differences in the delivery and uptake of health care services have been reported. For example, access to care for coronary heart disease has been found to be lower among the South Asians (DOH 2006). With reference to prevention, the rates of smoking cessation have been found to be lower in these minority groups compared to the whites (DOH 2006). Additionally, most of these minority groups have indicated higher rates of dissatisfaction with the services provided by the NHS. For example, according to the Healthcare Commission patient surveys, most of the South Asians reported poorer experiences in hospitals as inpatients (DOH 2006). Many of these minority groups experience higher rates of poverty than the whites, in terms of area deprivation, worklessness, income, and the lack of basic necessities. This perhaps explains the variation in self-reported health. However, other than their socio-economic status, there is a complex interplay of factors that may be responsible for causing such inequalities including discrimination, racism, poor delivery of health care services, biological susceptibility and the differences in culture and lifestyles (DOH 2006). PROGRESS AND INITIATIVES TOWARDS REDUCING INEQUALITY IN HEALTH CARE Policy developments have tried to tackle inequalities in health. Acheson’s Independent Inquiry of 1998 was a key initiative that put health inequalities on the policy agenda (Stuart 2003). It emphasized on how poverty, the wider inequalities and exclusion were impacting on the provision of health care services. Subsequent policies have also recognized inequalities in health as multi-faceted and focused on reducing these inequalities. The central focus of health inequalities policies have primarily been on health care and NHS funding (Baldock, et.al., 2007). Besides the socioeconomic inequalities, policies have also focused explicitly on equity between the various ethnic groups. Identifying good practice in racial equality and mainstreaming strategies in health services has been the main approach to tackling inequalities (Baldock, et.al., 2007). A number initiatives have been commissioned by the Department of Health to collate good practice in equality in health such as Race for Health, Pacesetters and handling problems like language barriers and barrier to access of health care resources (Stuart 2003). More recently, major reforms have been made to the NHS. The role that Primary Care Trust plays in health care has expanded and changes have been made to practice based commissioning, competition, and involvement of patient as well as plurality of providers (Lewis, et.al 2010). These reforms are seen as making it easier tailor health care services to local populations thus meeting the needs of everyone, including the minority groups. The Department of Health has also initiated the Mosaic programme, which aims at developing and maintaining good practice in procurement, based on the Commission for Racial Equality guidelines (DOH 2006). Concerns have however been raised by critics that the initiative may not be of benefit to the minority and deprived groups and they have called for an examination of the impact that these reforms may have on equalities. While there has been a remarkable progress towards reducing inequalities in the health care sector in UK, there is still the need to develop more policies and interventions that support all sections of the society and direct care, treatment and services in proportion to need. This includes advocating for the promotion of individual rights within the care sector. PROMOTION OF EQUALITY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS In this regard, individual rights include, but are not limited to (Adams 2007): The right to respect Not to be discriminated against Right to practice their cultural and religious beliefs Making their own choices Right to equality or to be treated in a similar manner as the rest of the population Treated as an individual Right to be treated in a dignified way Right to privacy or confidentiality Protection from harm and danger Right to have access to information, especially where that information concerns them Communication using their preferred methods. There is thus the need for recognition of the immense diversity amongst individuals in the British society and how care agencies, both voluntary and statutory, can accommodate this diversity. This promotion of equality and individual rights is crucial for effective provision of care services. That is, social workers need to treat everyone as an individual, have respect for individual’s diversity and cultural values, promote equal treatment and opportunities for individuals, empower individuals, support them express their needs and experiences, ensure their well-being, work in ways consistent with the individual’s preferences and beliefs, avoid their discrimination and put the individual’s preference at the heart of service provisions through person centred planning approach (Adams 2007). CONCLUSION Social care services are provided to vulnerable individuals to protect them from harm, promote their independence and social inclusion, preserve or advance their physical and mental health, improve their opportunities and life chances, strengthen their families and protect and promote their individual human rights. In spite of the importance of provision of social care services, it is apparent that the current system in the UK is perceived unfair in the provision of health care services. There seems to be huge disparities in health care service provisions in parts of the UK with the spearheaded areas experiencing worst health care and deprivation. A remarkable progress has however been made towards reducing inequalities in the health A number initiatives have been commissioned by the Department of Health to collate good practice in equality in health such as Race for Health, Pacesetters and major reforms made to the NHS. These are seen as making it easier to tailor health care services to local populations thus meeting the needs of everyone, including the minority groups. While there has been a remarkable progress made, there is still the need to develop more policies and interventions that support all sections of the society and direct care, treatment and services in proportion to need. Social workers can play an important role in reducing health inequalities by working with service users in increasing their social and material resources and providing them access to information and support systems as well as maximizing their capacity to managing their health. REFERENCE Adams, R., 2007. Foundations of health and social care. Palgrave publishers Alcock, P., et.al., 2006. Students companion to social policy. Blackwell publishers Baldock et al (eds), 2007. Social Policy, Oxford University Press. Bradshaw, et.al., 1978. Issues in social policy. Routledge. Curry N. and C. Ham, 2010. Clinical and Service Integration: The route to improved outcomes. London: The King’s Fund. Available at: www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/clinical_and_service.html (accessed on 16 February 2012). Department of Health (DOH), 2006. Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A New Direction for Community Services. London: DOH Department of Health, 1998. Modernising social services. Crown publishers. 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Tackling Health Inequalities since the Acheson Inquiry, Bristol How to cite Analysis Of Health And Social Care In The Uk, Essay examples