Empowering Health and Social Care Service Users

Introduction

In health and social care services, empowering the service users is one of the essential needs required to be fulfilled. Empowering the service users can ensure that they are able to govern their own selves while receiving care. It is the right of the service users to have maximum participation while deciding upon the services they may receive. Empowering them can enhance their independence leading to more active participation. Hence, this assignment deals with the multiple aspects relating to the empowerment of the service users. The effectiveness of the same and the steps that are needed to be followed to empower the service users have been explained in the four sections of the assignment.

Task 1: Empowerment

AC 1.1            Explain how current legislation and sector skills standards influence organisational policies and practices for promoting and maximising the rights of users of health and social care services.

There
are certain individual rights that any care-user holds in any healthcare
organisation.  These individual rights
are protected with appropriate legislative intervention. Some of the major
rights that the individuals may possess are being able to stay in a safe and
healthy environment that can enhance their recovery process, leading a healthy
lifestyle, being able to overcome the communication barriers and their
individual privacy and dignity is maintained properly (Househ, et al. 2014, p.55). In addition to this, it
is also compulsory to ensure that any kind of discrimination within the
organisation is avoided. It can be said that if these rights are given proper consideration,
it will be easier to ensure that their participation in the care process is
more and they are able to gain more confidence.

Hence,
a standard organisational policy has been drafted by the organisation that
incorporates suitable legislation and skill standards. With the help of these
legislations, it can be maintained that the empowerment of the service-users is
promoted by the organisation. These set of legislations can be helpful in
effective monitoring to see whether the individual rights are protected or not.
Some of the legislative policies incorporated in the Smart Care Residential
Unit are Human Rights Act, Equality Act, Data Protection and National Minimum
Standards of Care (Faiola and Holden, 2016,
p.90).
These sets of legislation clearly define the standards required to protect the
individuals’ privacy, eliminate discrimination and ensure safety at the
organisation. Thus, it can be said that the organisational policies are set in
accordance with the set standards of the legislation to ensure systematic operations
for empowering the care-seekers.

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AC 1.2            Analyse factors that may affect the achievement of promoting and maximising the rights of service users of health and social café services.

While
there are certain organisational policies which are effective in directing the procedures,
followed by Smart Care Residential Unit, it can be said that there are certain
factors which may be responsible to affect fulfilment of service user rights.
It is important that the organisation is able to identify the same and take
appropriate measures to reduce the adverse effects of these factors that may
reduce the chances of the service users being empowered.

One
of the major factors is the untrained staff. 
It can be said that in order to maintain the effectiveness of the
organisational policies, the staff of the organisation requires having at
minimum the basic knowledge of the legislations that influences the policies and
the procedures needed to be followed in order to adhere to the same (Brett et
al. 2014, p.387). The lack of appropriate knowledge regarding the same can
restrict the fulfilment of the individual rights. The employees will fail to
acquire the set standards essential to promote right maximisation of the
organisation.

Additionally,
the lack of Continuing Professional Development: On the part of many employees
results in considerable communication gap which restricts the active
participation of the care-seekers by relying upon the staff and opening up to
them.

One
of the major issues it that arise is the lack of suitable Managers: To monitor
the effectiveness of the organisational policies. Thus, following a standard monitoring
system can be difficult (Agrawal et al. 2016, p.479).
Furthermore, the lack of enough resources poses as another issue affecting the
procedures of the organisation.

Hence,
it is important that the organisation keep these issues at check by extending
appropriate training and shifts of the staff, hiring suitable persons for
managerial roles and save certain resources which may be effective in acquiring
organisational policies.

AC 1.3            Analyse how communication between your care workers and individuals contribute to promoting and maximising the rights of users of health and social care services.

In any organisation, the
requirement of effective communication is undeniable. In order to ensure that
the care-seekers are able to acquire services in accordance with their own
wills and preferences, it is understood by the organisation that the necessity
of effective verbal and non-verbal communication cannot be ignored.

It is important that a free flow of
communication is established between the care-seekers and the care providers (Grajales III et al. 2014, p.13).
This will ensure that the individual needs and requirements are properly
identified by the care providers and suitable steps are taken to fulfil the
same. It will also ensure that a stronger bond grows between the two parties
and the service seekers are able to rely on the carers more. However, it may be
a big hurdle if there is a communication gap due to factors like language
barrier or physical inability. Methods like sign language and using interpreter
or pictorial language can be helpful in overcoming such communication barrier (Humphries, 2015, p.856).
Thus, the individual rights can be respected properly by the organisation.

Apart from the direct
communication, it can be said that the other forms of exchanging information
like diagnosis report, feedback, complaints and other recorded information are
also helpful which can be accessed in the future as well to enhance the quality
of the services received by the individuals within the organisation which can
effectively increase the overall quality of the organisation as well (Hunter et al. 2015, p.1057).

 Task 3 Risk Management:

AC 3.1 Use the case study from a health or social care setting to identify the extent to which individuals are at risk of harm.  

Elimination
of risk in any healthcare set up is a key procedure that is needed to be done. In
accordance with the given case study, it can be seen that the organisation is
not bereft of potential harms of the residents seeking care from this specific
home. Fatal results have been witnessed within the organisation due to the
negligence of the workforce. Five older people died due to malnutrition. In
this scenario, it is evident that the risk from failure to protect sustains (Lewis and West 2014, p.18). It can be seen that due to the
poor standards of the organisation, the residents had to be removed. The
requirement of risk assessment emerges in this scenario.

In
addition to this, by taking into consideration the condition of the 39 year old
woman, it can be seen that the woman has been facing abuses which is one of the
major reasons for her several deteriorating health condition. It can be seen
that the woman is not free from risk of abuse by interacting with her partner,
who deals with certain mental condition of his own. However, the personal
choice of the woman is to be with the person. Thus, a case of conflict is
evident in this situation. The risk of the individual being subjected to abuse
is very high in this case. Additionally, physical and mental harm can be caused
depending upon the presence or absence of the partner.

Thus,
it can be said that even by considering the personal preferences of the
clients, the chances of safeguarding them from potential harm can get reduced
as well (Antheunis et al. 2013, p.429). It
is by making suitable intervention like that of the care home, striking a
balance between safeguarding the individual and considering their choices can
be done effectively.

AC 3.2 Write an essay
to analyse the effectiveness of policies, procedures and managerial approach within your
health or social care setting for promoting the management of risks.

In
order to make sure that the organisation is able to function properly, it can
be said that the monitoring of the policies and procedures of the organisation
will become easy. The local authorities have reliance upon the grading given by
the Care Quality Commission. It can be effective in monitoring whether the
requirements of the individuals are met properly by the care home or not.

Adhering
to the set policies can be a tricky procedure. It can be said that the
monitoring of local authority or organisations like the National Health
Services and CQC are helpful in setting suitable standards (Westwood et al. 2015, 
p.145). The managerial approaches of any organisation can be
done in accordance to the same that can be effective in shaping the procedures
followed by the organisation.

For
instance, in the specific case study it can be seen that the care home is not
able to provide standard services to the care seekers. Hence, the requirement
of local authority intervention emerges. These bodies follow the standards
drafted by CQC and NHS to enhance the ability of the organisation meeting the
client specific needs.

TASK 4 Keeping People safe

AC
4.1 Review current legislation, codes of practice and policy that apply to the
handling of medication.

Healthcare
is one of the most essential sectors in recent times. However, in order to
ensure appropriate functioning of any organisation in this set up, there are
certain legal frameworks and code of practices that are needed to be adhered.
The medication procedures of the organisation requires following strict
regulations and policies as well. Some of these legislations have been
explained below:

The Medicine Act 1968: Is effective in regulating
the licensing and supply of any kind of medicines. Furthermore, it assures that
the prescription only medicines can be accessed only of it is directed by a
suitable practitioner. Alterations in the form and dose of these medicines are
prohibited by this act as well (Johns, 2014, p.90).

The misuse of Drug Act: Is another relevant
legislation prevalent in the society. This act poses restrictions on the
accessibility of the controlled drugs. Certain classes of the drugs are defined
in this act depending upon the substances it consists of. Thus, possession of
the controlled drug and the supply of the same are considered unlawful in this
act, if appropriate monitoring is not done (De Raeve et al. 2016, p.90).

The Human Medicines Regulations
2012: Drafts
certain licensing procedures of medicinal drugs within UK. In addition to this,
other policies and regulations related to medication handlings are the Human
Rights Act, Equality Act, COSSHH, and RIDDOR and so on (Calvillo et al. 2015, p.645). With the application of this legislation, it can
be ensured that no discrimination is prevailing while receiving the medical
facilities. Reports regarding the medical support extended as well.

AC 4.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of policies and procedures within your health and social care setting for administering medication.

While
dealing with medicines is one of the most sensitive issues any organisation
have to deal with, it can be said that following the legal framework is helpful
in ensuring that the suitable standards are being followed by the organisation
and standard steps are taken in order to mitigate any issues relating to the administration
of medication. It can be said that the policies and procedures ensures that the
right of the patients to know about the purpose, consequences and the potential
side effects of any drug before it is administered (Snape et al. 2014, p.427). Additionally,
the safety standards of the patients are given importance as well and seeking
their consent can eliminate legal complications as well.

Suitable
prescriptions are allotted by the practitioners in order to maintain legal
medication order. This ensures that unlawful accesses to harmful drugs are
avoided and the medicines are consumed under the supervision of an experienced
practitioner. The prescription further ensures that the individual patients are
provided with correct medicines with the most suitable dose to overcome the
health condition they might be suffering along with the right interval the drug
is required to be consumed.

Thus, it
can be said that the organisational procedures related to the administration of
medicines becomes more defined and systematic by following the prevalent
policies and code of practices. The chances of any errors leading to
unavoidable circumstances can be eliminated effectively.

Conclusion

It can be
inferred that the individual care-seekers in health and social care settings
are required to have active participation in order to feel empowered and
independent. The individual needs and preferences are important to be
maintained by any organisation. In order to promote the same, the organisations
are required to adhere to the ranges of legislations and code of practices. These
legislations are helpful in establishing certain standards which the
organisations are needed to fulfil. Apart from engagement of the workforce to promote
independence of individuals, it is important that the medications within the
organisation are dealt properly as well. It can ensure that the probable risks
are identified and restricted beforehand. Thus, the individuals are able to
make more informed decisions in healthcare set up.

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