Abstract
Well-established internationally, the current development of social work in UK accident and emergency (A&E) departments is part of a conjoint health/social care policy drive to divert older people from 'unnecessary' admission to acute hospital care on social grounds. However, from older service users' standpoint, the prime criterion for assessing A&E social work is not its powers of diversion, but its contribution to optimum health and social care. Our account indicates that A&E based social work can provide important benefits, including help with negotiating the A&E environment and readier access to social services. Nevertheless, continuing professional-service user power imbalances, together with shortages in health and social care services, undermine its positive contribution both within A&E and following discharge. Notably, under-resourced community based health and social care can lead to services implemented through A&E, swiftly unravelling. This has serious consequences for older service users facing interlinked health and social problems, and may be implicated in re-attendance at A&E.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 787-802 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | British Journal of Social Work |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2003 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health(social science)
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Social Work in Accident and Emergency Departments : A Better Deal for Older Patients' Health? / McLeod, Eileen; Bywaters, Paul; Cooke, Matthew.
In: British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 33, No. 6, 01.09.2003, p. 787-802.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Social Work in Accident and Emergency Departments
T2 - A Better Deal for Older Patients' Health?
AU - McLeod, Eileen
AU - Bywaters, Paul
AU - Cooke, Matthew
PY - 2003/9/1
Y1 - 2003/9/1
N2 - Well-established internationally, the current development of social work in UK accident and emergency (A&E) departments is part of a conjoint health/social care policy drive to divert older people from 'unnecessary' admission to acute hospital care on social grounds. However, from older service users' standpoint, the prime criterion for assessing A&E social work is not its powers of diversion, but its contribution to optimum health and social care. Our account indicates that A&E based social work can provide important benefits, including help with negotiating the A&E environment and readier access to social services. Nevertheless, continuing professional-service user power imbalances, together with shortages in health and social care services, undermine its positive contribution both within A&E and following discharge. Notably, under-resourced community based health and social care can lead to services implemented through A&E, swiftly unravelling. This has serious consequences for older service users facing interlinked health and social problems, and may be implicated in re-attendance at A&E.
AB - Well-established internationally, the current development of social work in UK accident and emergency (A&E) departments is part of a conjoint health/social care policy drive to divert older people from 'unnecessary' admission to acute hospital care on social grounds. However, from older service users' standpoint, the prime criterion for assessing A&E social work is not its powers of diversion, but its contribution to optimum health and social care. Our account indicates that A&E based social work can provide important benefits, including help with negotiating the A&E environment and readier access to social services. Nevertheless, continuing professional-service user power imbalances, together with shortages in health and social care services, undermine its positive contribution both within A&E and following discharge. Notably, under-resourced community based health and social care can lead to services implemented through A&E, swiftly unravelling. This has serious consequences for older service users facing interlinked health and social problems, and may be implicated in re-attendance at A&E.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0345447093&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/bjsw/33.6.787
DO - 10.1093/bjsw/33.6.787
M3 - Article
VL - 33
SP - 787
EP - 802
JO - The British Journal of Social Work
JF - The British Journal of Social Work
SN - 0045-3102
IS - 6
ER -