Multidisciplinary working in the health and social care sector Flashcards
What is a multi-disciplinary team?
a team in which health and care workers from different professional backgrounds and with different work roles, plan, implement and monitor an individual’s care.
What may MDTs include other than health and social care workers?
Representatives from voluntary organisations, the police and education services. E.g. someone who can’t afford a lawyer may be allocated a legal aid.
Why is partnership important?
- service users don’t need to repeat themselves when giving information
- improves the lives of vulnerable adults and children
- improves the planning of care
- sharing information allows a higher quality service
- enables holistic care approach (includes patient in plan and they are treated as a “whole person”)
Give some difficulties of partnership
- failure to communicate information between services e.g. between a social worker and the police in cases where children are in danger / services aren’t open all the time
- lack of coordination : sometimes services don’t work together well so people don’t receive the care they need or experience duplication
- cuts in funding that prevent effective partnership working
- hsc providers with different IT systems that can’t communicate with each other
- services aren’t always open so this may result in delays from hospitals e.g. an old person who lives in a care home can’t be discharged bc no one can take them back
Why is there a need for joined up working (MDT) with other service providers?
If a service user is known to and supported by a number of different agencies or professionals, it is essential that those carers work as a team.
There have been a number of high-profile cases of child abuse and part of the reason for the death of these children was identified as a lack of ‘joined-up working’. The professionals didn’t pass on crucial information.
Give an example of a high-profile case of child abuse where professionals didn’t work as a team
The abuse and tragic death in February 2000 of Victoria Climbié while in the care of her aunt.
Failure of social workers to assess home + doctors who saw her condition and let her return home.
How are service users, carers and advocates involved in the multi-disciplinary team?
the service user will be present, their advocate, translator and/or interpreter will be there, informal carers will be invited along with all other professional staff who contribute to the support, planning and evaluation of the care provided. The service user’s presence and/or their representatives is crucial to ensure the empowerment of the client or patient. It is the key opportunity for the service user to express their views and preferences and to contribute to the planning and delivery of their support.
What do MDTs ensure?
That a holistic approach is taken to planning and implementing a care programme. It means health and care professionals must not only provide their specialist support but also see this in the context of the wider needs of the service user. PIES. needs of the whole individual.
Define holistic approach
an approach to care that addresses the individual’s physical, social, emotional and spiritual health, so addressing the needs of the whole person.
