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Empowering Health and Social Care Service Users

IntroductionIn health and social care services, empowering the service users is one of the essential needs required to be fulfilled. Empowering the service users can ensure that they are able to govern their own selves while receiving care. It is the right of the service users to have maximum participation while deciding upon the services they may receive. Empowering them can enhance their independence leading to more active participation. Hence, this assignment deals with the multiple aspects relating to the empowerment of the service users. The effectiveness of the same and the steps that are needed to be followed to empower the service users have been explained in the four sections of the assignment. Task 1: EmpowermentAC 1.1            Explain how current legislation and sector skills standards influence organisational policies and practices for promoting and maximising the rights of users of health and social care services.Thereare certain individual rights that any care-user holds in any healthcareorganisation.  These individual rightsare protected with appropriate legislative intervention. Some of the majorrights that the individuals may possess are being able to stay in a safe andhealthy environment that can enhance their recovery process, leading a healthylifestyle, being able to overcome the communication barriers and theirindividual privacy and dignity is maintained properly (Househ, et al. 2014, p.55). In addition to this, itis also compulsory to ensure that any kind of discrimination within theorganisation is avoided. It can be said that if these rights are given proper consideration,it will be easier to ensure that their participation in the care process ismore and they are able to gain more confidence. Hence,a standard organisational policy has been drafted by the organisation thatincorporates suitable legislation and skill standards. With the help of theselegislations, it can be maintained that the empowerment of the service-users ispromoted by the organisation. These set of legislations can be helpful ineffective monitoring to see whether the individual rights are protected or not.Some of the legislative policies incorporated in the Smart Care ResidentialUnit are Human Rights Act, Equality Act, Data Protection and National MinimumStandards of Care (Faiola and Holden, 2016,p.90).These sets of legislation clearly define the standards required to protect theindividuals’ privacy, eliminate discrimination and ensure safety at theorganisation. Thus, it can be said that the organisational policies are set inaccordance with the set standards of the legislation to ensure systematic operationsfor empowering the care-seekers. AC 1.2            Analyse factors that may affect the achievement of promoting and maximising the rights of service users of health and social café services. Whilethere are certain organisational policies which are effective in directing the procedures,followed by Smart Care Residential Unit, it can be said that there are certainfactors which may be responsible to affect fulfilment of service user rights.It is important that the organisation is able to identify the same and takeappropriate measures to reduce the adverse effects of these factors that mayreduce the chances of the service users being empowered. Oneof the major factors is the untrained staff. It can be said that in order to maintain the effectiveness of theorganisational policies, the staff of the organisation requires having atminimum the basic knowledge of the legislations that influences the policies andthe procedures needed to be followed in order to adhere to the same (Brett etal. 2014, p.387). The lack of appropriate knowledge regarding the same canrestrict the fulfilment of the individual rights. The employees will fail toacquire the set standards essential to promote right maximisation of theorganisation. Additionally,the lack of Continuing Professional Development: On the part of many employeesresults in considerable communication gap which restricts the activeparticipation of the care-seekers by relying upon the staff and opening up tothem. Oneof the major issues it that arise is the lack of suitable Managers: To monitorthe effectiveness of the organisational policies. Thus, following a standard monitoringsystem can be difficult (Agrawal et al. 2016, p.479).Furthermore, the lack of enough resources poses as another issue affecting theprocedures of the organisation. Hence,it is important that the organisation keep these issues at check by extendingappropriate training and shifts of the staff, hiring suitable persons formanagerial roles and save certain resources which may be effective in acquiringorganisational policies. AC 1.3            Analyse how communication between your care workers and individuals contribute to promoting and maximising the rights of users of health and social care services.In any organisation, therequirement of effective communication is undeniable. In order to ensure thatthe care-seekers are able to acquire services in accordance with their ownwills and preferences, it is understood by the organisation that the necessityof effective verbal and non-verbal communication cannot be ignored. It is important that a free flow ofcommunication is established between the care-seekers and the care providers (Grajales III et al. 2014, p.13).This will ensure that the individual needs and requirements are properlyidentified by the care providers and suitable steps are taken to fulfil thesame. It will also ensure that a stronger bond grows between the two partiesand the service seekers are able to rely on the carers more. However, it may bea big hurdle if there is a communication gap due to factors like languagebarrier or physical inability. Methods like sign language and using interpreteror pictorial language can be helpful in overcoming such communication barrier (Humphries, 2015, p.856).Thus, the individual rights can be respected properly by the organisation. Apart from the directcommunication, it can be said that the other forms of exchanging informationlike diagnosis report, feedback, complaints and other recorded information arealso helpful which can be accessed in the future as well to enhance the qualityof the services received by the individuals within the organisation which caneffectively increase the overall quality of the organisation as well (Hunter et al. 2015, p.1057). Task 3 Risk Management:AC 3.1 Use the case study from a health or social care setting to identify the extent to which individuals are at risk of harm.  Eliminationof risk in any healthcare set up is a key procedure that is needed to be done. Inaccordance with the given case study, it can be seen that the organisation isnot bereft of potential harms of the residents seeking care from this specifichome. Fatal results have been witnessed within the organisation due to thenegligence of the workforce. Five older people died due to malnutrition. Inthis scenario, it is evident that the risk from failure to protect sustains (Lewis and West 2014, p.18). It can be seen that due to thepoor standards of the organisation, the residents had to be removed. Therequirement of risk assessment emerges in this scenario. Inaddition to this, by taking into consideration the condition of the 39 year oldwoman, it can be seen that the woman has been facing abuses which is one of themajor reasons for her several deteriorating health condition. It can be seenthat the woman is not free from risk of abuse by interacting with her partner,who deals with certain mental condition of his own. However, the personalchoice of the woman is to be with the person. Thus, a case of conflict isevident in this situation. The risk of the individual being subjected to abuseis very high in this case. Additionally, physical and mental harm can be causeddepending upon the presence or absence of the partner. Thus,it can be said that even by considering the personal preferences of theclients, the chances of safeguarding them from potential harm can get reducedas well (Antheunis et al. 2013, p.429). Itis by making suitable intervention like that of the care home, striking abalance between safeguarding the individual and considering their choices canbe done effectively.AC 3.2 Write an essayto analyse the effectiveness of policies, procedures and managerial approach within yourhealth or social care setting for promoting the management of risks.Inorder to make sure that the organisation is able to function properly, it canbe said that the monitoring of the policies and procedures of the organisationwill become easy. The local authorities have reliance upon the grading given bythe Care Quality Commission. It can be effective in monitoring whether therequirements of the individuals are met properly by the care home or not. Adheringto the set policies can be a tricky procedure. It can be said that themonitoring of local authority or organisations like the National HealthServices and CQC are helpful in setting suitable standards (Westwood et al. 2015, p.145). The managerial approaches of any organisation can bedone in accordance to the same that can be effective in shaping the proceduresfollowed by the organisation. Forinstance, in the specific case study it can be seen that the care home is notable to provide standard services to the care seekers. Hence, the requirementof local authority intervention emerges. These bodies follow the standardsdrafted by CQC and NHS to enhance the ability of the organisation meeting theclient specific needs. TASK 4 Keeping People safe AC4.1 Review current legislation, codes of practice and policy that apply to thehandling of medication.Healthcareis one of the most essential sectors in recent times. However, in order toensure appropriate functioning of any organisation in this set up, there arecertain legal frameworks and code of practices that are needed to be adhered.The medication procedures of the organisation requires following strictregulations and policies as well. Some of these legislations have beenexplained below:The Medicine Act 1968: Is effective in regulatingthe licensing and supply of any kind of medicines. Furthermore, it assures thatthe prescription only medicines can be accessed only of it is directed by asuitable practitioner. Alterations in the form and dose of these medicines areprohibited by this act as well (Johns, 2014, p.90). The misuse of Drug Act: Is another relevantlegislation prevalent in the society. This act poses restrictions on theaccessibility of the controlled drugs. Certain classes of the drugs are definedin this act depending upon the substances it consists of. Thus, possession ofthe controlled drug and the supply of the same are considered unlawful in thisact, if appropriate monitoring is not done (De Raeve et al. 2016, p.90). The Human Medicines Regulations2012: Draftscertain licensing procedures of medicinal drugs within UK. In addition to this,other policies and regulations related to medication handlings are the HumanRights Act, Equality Act, COSSHH, and RIDDOR and so on (Calvillo et al. 2015, p.645). With the application of this legislation, it canbe ensured that no discrimination is prevailing while receiving the medicalfacilities. Reports regarding the medical support extended as well. AC 4.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of policies and procedures within your health and social care setting for administering medication.Whiledealing with medicines is one of the most sensitive issues any organisationhave to deal with, it can be said that following the legal framework is helpfulin ensuring that the suitable standards are being followed by the organisationand standard steps are taken in order to mitigate any issues relating to the administrationof medication. It can be said that the policies and procedures ensures that theright of the patients to know about the purpose, consequences and the potentialside effects of any drug before it is administered (Snape et al. 2014, p.427). Additionally,the safety standards of the patients are given importance as well and seekingtheir consent can eliminate legal complications as well. Suitableprescriptions are allotted by the practitioners in order to maintain legalmedication order. This ensures that unlawful accesses to harmful drugs areavoided and the medicines are consumed under the supervision of an experiencedpractitioner. The prescription further ensures that the individual patients areprovided with correct medicines with the most suitable dose to overcome thehealth condition they might be suffering along with the right interval the drugis required to be consumed. Thus, itcan be said that the organisational procedures related to the administration ofmedicines becomes more defined and systematic by following the prevalentpolicies and code of practices. The chances of any errors leading tounavoidable circumstances can be eliminated effectively. ConclusionIt can beinferred that the individual care-seekers in health and social care settingsare required to have active participation in order to feel empowered andindependent. The individual needs and preferences are important to bemaintained by any organisation. 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