How Can UK Health And Social Care Work Together Effectively?

The importance of relationships should not be underestimated when it comes to helping people adapt to new ways of working. Photograph: Alamy

How can health and social care work together effectively?

Joining up sectors depends on keeping distinct identities but sharing data and building strong relationships across teams

As the dust settles on the chancellor’s autumn statement, the future of social care remains one of the hottest topics of discussion among MPs, political pundits and practitioners alike.

Adding to the debate is the issue of how we deliver a more joined up health and social care service in a world where demand for both is increasing.

Let’s consider what an integrated health and social care system might look like. Should the cultural differences between health and social care be preserved within a closer partnership? And what role can technology play in bringing together services that have traditionally worked in parallel?

‘This shouldn’t be a land grab’

For some local authority leaders, there should be a focus on ensuring the distinct strengths, values and characteristics of the sectors are not diminished in any way.

This was one of the topics raised at a roundtable event hosted by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, in partnership with Capita One, where seven directors of adult social care contributed to the discussion.

Liz Bruce, director of adult social services for the London tri-borough councils, said: “The strengths and skills you have if you mix up health and social care are tremendous if we get it right. Health is really good at things that we in social care shouldn’t take the lead in. This shouldn’t be a land grab, it should be a partnership.”

Cultural shift

To build a joint working environment that meets the needs of vulnerable citizens and their families, the first step is to get a clear picture of the potential barriers to success so they can be broken down.

A Capita One survey designed to explore whether the challenges around health and social care integration were regarded as cultural or technical found 65% of local authority leaders believed the greatest challenge was the cultural shift for the people involved. Only 35% of respondents said the greatest difficulty would be bringing the systems together.

These figures reflect the wider view that when it comes to helping people adapt to a new way of working, the importance of relationships should not be underestimated. As John Powell, director of adult social services for the London borough of Redbridge, explained during the roundtable discussion: “Where integration and joint working is successful, it is because of long-standing arrangements with relationships between people in the various organisations.”

The need to cement lasting relationships between health and social care is central to Redbridge’s approach to integrating services. “We’ve gone into GP practices, starting dialogues and working together. GPs, district nurses and social workers are all working together,” Powell said. “What we’re now trying to do is build on the existing relationships we have.”

Effective technology

So, what role can technology play in enabling a more people-centric, communications-based approach to health and social care integration?

Bringing different IT systems together may not be regarded as the main barrier to achieving more joined up ways of working. However, the roundtable debate revealed services can face other challenges in this area.

Health and social care professionals may be used to working separately, so technology needs to make it easier for authorised people in each service to share data, without needing to spend additional time or effort in doing so.

David Pearson, director of adult social services at Nottinghamshire county council, said: “No matter how these systems are brought together, it is important that, for social workers and health professionals, it feels as if it is one integrated system rather than multiple systems.”

New software solutions are being developed that can ensure people working in health and social care see the same information on an individual or family they are in contact with, in real time. For local authorities, such tools can free people to work more effectively to meet the often complex needs of vulnerable citizens and their families.

But it’s not just about sharing information more effectively. The role of technology in supporting and managing people’s needs could be significant too. Devices that remotely monitor patients’ wellbeing and allow instant contact with services in an emergency are one example of how people with specific needs could get the support they require to remain in the community.

With the right steps in place, local authorities can achieve a genuine shift in culture that will enable health and social care teams to work together, without losing sight of their distinct identities and responsibilities.

Technology also has an essential role to play in paving the way for a future where health and social services have the tools they need to support our most vulnerable citizens in living happier, healthier and more independent lives, for longer.

Source:     The Guardian