Unit 505 – Working in Partnership in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s settings.
1.1 – Identify the features of effective partnership working
The policy of person centred care has become a mainstay of efforts to reform care services in the UK. Government policy is now built around this core concept, a major aspect of which is enabling individuals to participate in decision making about their care and care planning at every level.
By concentrating on the individuals wishes and aspirations and placing them at the centre of a “planning circle” the care team can assist with goal setting to ensure their best interests are maintained and the individuals preferences are considered.
Working in partnership is a key element of practice within social care settings. The concepts of power sharing, consultation and joint ways of working are essential for effective service provision. Social care professionals need to understand the importance of promoting autonomy with individuals. They also need to be aware of their own roles and responsibilities and how they relate to others within the sector.
Organisations therefore now need to think creatively about how to recruit and involve individuals in planning and delivering of care services and the need to invest time and effort in effective “partnership working. This ensures that the individual young person who is in our care is placed at the centre. The team should share a common purpose and vision to improve the young person’s life. Effective partnership working involves many features including
* Trust
* Empathy
* Respect for the skills and contribution of colleagues
* Communication
* Effective listening skills
* Realistic expectations
* Clear objectives
* Honesty
* Working to agreed practices
* Maintenance of balance between task and relationship orientation
There are various theories relating to effective partnership working. These include...