- A map or diagram of the partnerships in Beechfield Lodge care home
Recent UK government policy advocate that a partnership approach is taken in delivering health or social care to ensure individuals are able to receive holistic and comprehensive care under one service rather than receiving it from multiple services. As a result, partnership working has become an integral part of delivering health and social care to individuals (Billingham, 2016). However, it is important to note that partnerships can occur at different levels. It can occur at the organization level where two or more services providers work together to ensure individuals receive the required care. It can also occur at the individualsâ level where healthcare professionals work cooperatively with fellowsâ professionals, relatives, and the individual users of service to provide the standard of care that meets the needs of the individuals in the setting (Glasby & Dickinson, 2014). The diagram below shows a partnership working at Beechfield Lodge at the organization level.
Referral system of partnership
As the diagram above shows, Beechfield Lodge cares home provides residential and dementia care to the elderly working in partnership with Salford royal hospital. Their partnership is based on the referral system whereby Beechfield Lodge care home refers its clients to the Salford royal hospital in case they need some medical attention. On the other hand, Salford royal hospital refers some of its clients to beech field lodge care homes in case they are in need of dementia or residential care. Through this referral system of partnership, the two organizations which are close to each other have been able to deliver quality care to their clients. They share information such as medical assessment, client history or care, etc. which generally helps improve the quality of care provided.
- key elements of partnership working
Partnership working in health and social care take three forms i.e. Partnership between organizations, partnership between professionals within the setting, the partnership between professionals and individuals seeking services, and finally partnership between professionals and families of users seeking services in a setting (Glasby & Dickinson, 2014). Each of these partnerships is unique and as such key elements are needed in each to make them successful as explained below.
external organization.
In order for Beech lodge care home to establish an effective partnership working with external organizations such as Salford Royal hospital, the following key elements must be present in the partnership. These are;
Agreed on shared goals and values. Beechfield Lodge cares home partnership with external organizations can only be effective if all the organizations or service providers involved have shared and agreed goals and values (Glasby & Dickson, 2009). As noted by Care Quality Commission (2017), the absence of agreed shared goals and values would lead to a scenario where some of the partners no longer find it useful to continue pursuing the partnership as the
Independence- another key element to an effective partnership with an external organization is independence. The partnership arrangement between the beech field lodge and external organizations should not threaten the independence of each of the organizations involved. As noted by SCIE (2020) partnership working should be done in such a manner that it ensures that each of the service providers involved remains autonomous and is able to independently execute its other mandates as usual. SCIE (2020), argues that when one of the organizations in the partnership working fell that its independence is under threat; it will withdraw from the partnership to protect itself.