A2 The 7 Responsibilties Of People Who Work In Health And Social Care

Question 1

Personal Care

Answer 1

Domiciliary Care workers who provide support for people living in their own homes, will often provide this type of care.

A carer should:
• Discuss usual routines and
preferences in terms of personal hygiene and diet with clients.
• encourage independence by giving
clients to make their own decisions.
• Be cautious of the clients dignity and
privacy followed through the policy and procedures to ensure the safety and dignity of service users
• Respect specific dietary requirements.
• This will sometimes be related to religious belief, sometimes to physical disorders and sometimes to personal choices.

Personal Care Need Examples:
Washing
Toileting Feeding/cooking/preparing food
Drinking
Dressing
Getting in and out of bed

Equipment for assisting people in being as independent as possible include walk in baths, showers for wheelchairs, non-slip bath mats, baths and shower seats, hand rails, bath lifts, adapted taps, bed pans, female and male urinal and adapted bathrooms.

Question 2

Healing And Supporting Recovery

Answer 2

Different people with different conditions will need to be supported in specific ways which cater to their wider social and personal needs.

• Prescribing Medication: Ensure the right medicine is given to patients based on their needs.
• Surgery: Plays a crucial role in supporting an individual’s recovery from illness or physical disorders.
• Radiotherapy: Essential for healing conditions like cancer or diseases of the thyroid gland.
• Organ Transplant: Involves moving a body part or organ from one part of the body to another, aiding in recovery.
• Support for Lifestyle Changes: Encouraging healthy habits and providing counseling and support for recovery.
• Specialist Agencies: Organizations like Age UK and Mind support the health and wellbeing of individuals with specific illnesses and disorders.

Question 3

Supporting Routines

Answer 3

Supporting routines of service users in the context of their day-to-day family life, education, employment and leisure activities:

• Healthcare professionals address physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and educational needs.
• They support patients in leading fulfilling lives by considering their community, job, family, finances, and hobbies.
• Informal carers, such as family and friends, play a vital role in a person’s recovery.
• Understanding the wider personal needs of service users is crucial for a holistic approach to care. (holistic means whole body)

Question 4

Rehabilitation

Answer 4

Rehabilitation is about helping someone get better after surgery, an accident, or illness, even addiction. The goal is to help them recover and live a good life on their own.

• Rehabilitation supports individuals with chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer by providing self-management strategies.
• Programs are personalised to address both physical and psychological needs, as well as the support from family, friends, and carers.

Rehabilitation may include support from:
-Physiotherapists,
-Occupational therapists,
-Counsellors
-Psychotherapists.

Question 5

Adaptation Of Equipment

Answer 5

Adapted equipment can help people stay independent with daily tasks, especially if they have mobility issues.

Physiotherapists or occupational therapists assess these needs, whether they’re temporary or permanent.

Care assistants can help a person to use equipment to increase independence in a service user:

Increased mobility: Wheelchair, Walking Stick, Stairlifts.

Support Daily Living: Special cutlery for easy holding, Bathing aids like shower handles, walk in showers, and plates with bottom suction so they don’t slip.

Technology For Educational Achievement: Additional time in exams for people with learning difficulties, adapted computer with larger text, and wheelchair access to all learning spaces.

Examples for people that may need adaptations

• People with arthritis / Broken limbs
• Recovering from surgery or stroke
• Progressive Disease like multiple sclerosis
• motor neurone disease
• Muscular dystrophy
• Or aging

Question 6

Following Policies And Procedures

Answer 6

Policies - A document that specifies the action that you have to take in response to a situation.

Procedures - Written instructions/guidelines that outline the required routines the staff are expected to follow policy

Health and social care organisations have rules to make sure they give the right care to people. These guidelines help staff and volunteers work legally and professionally.

Policies and procedures both vary based on the care setting. These policies may include:
-Health and safety policy
-Equality and diversity policy
-Medication policy
-Safeguarding policy
-Disclosing and barring service (DBS) referral policy
-Death of a resident procedures
-Complaints policy

Code of practice: Professional standard that you are required to meet

Question 7

Assessment Of Care And Support Planning

Answer 7

The process is like a cycle. Changes can happen anytime based on the client’s needs, resources, staff expertise, or support levels from carers.

• Check what the person needs: Make sure to focus on what the person actually needs rather than just looking at what resources are available.
• See what help they already get: Look at the support and care services they currently receive, including any informal help they may have.
• Make a plan for care: Figure out the health and social care they need with clear goals in mind. The practitioner and the service user, along with any informal carers, talk about and decide on the right services.
• Put the plan into action: Once the plan is set with the service user, make sure they get the services outlined in the plan.
• monitoring progress: The practitioner needs to check on the care plan regularly, like following up on any issues with service delivery through calls, letters, or meetings with the service user, informal carers, and service providers.
• Reviewing and Evaluating: Make sure the service user’s needs and preferences have been addressed and noted during the care plan review, involving the service user, informal carers, and service providers.
• Adjust the plan if needed: After the review, if changes are needed, the care plan is updated, and the service user might need to be re-evaluated, especially for any needs that weren’t met.

care planning cycle:

• Check the care plan
• Make any needed changes
• Ensure the person gets the right care
• Review and adjust as necessary
• Reassess the person if needed