booklet 5

• public sector? what areas of healthcare does it include?

  part of the economy that is controlled by the state government and funded by tax contributions, health care services and controlled by public sector include

  • GP practices
  • health services
  • children services e.g school nurse
• primary health care


  provided by GP's, dentists, opticians and pharmacists. Normally accessed directly by the service user when needed
• secondary health care


  includes most hospital services, mental health services and many community health services, these are normally accessed via the GP who makes an appropriate referral to a consultant or specialist
• Teritary health care

  provides specialist, complex services e.g a specialist spinal injury unit or hospice support. Referral to these services is by health professionals who have identified the need
• NHS Foundation Trusts


  foundation which is publicly owned and is accountable to the local population, patients, carers and staff through a council of Governor's, they provide and develop healthcare according to core NHS principles, free care, based on need and not ability to pay
• Adult Social Care


  provision is for people over 18 years of age who have disabilities mental health problems, who are otherwise vulnerable due to age

  the support can include

  • care in service user's home like cooking, cleaning
  • day centres to provide care, simulation and company
  • training centres for adults with learning difficulties
• children services 


  Aim is to support and protect vulnerable children and young people, support can include

  • services to safeguard children who are at risk from abuse including sexual, physical, emotional neglect
  • help parents with 'parenting skills'
  • arrangements for fostering and adoption
• GP practices


  offer preventative healthcare, work in local communities, role is to make initial diagnoses and to refer individuals if necessary, to specialists for further treatment
• GPs work as members of multi disiplinary teams, which may include nurses, health visitors

  aim to provide holistic care, take account of patients age, gender, levels of morbidity and morality in the area, number of people in residential or nursing homes, patient turnover
• GP practices receive further payments from NHS

  • if they give a high quality service
  • certain additional services like flu immunisation
  • necessary equipment
• private sector


  includes organisations and individuals that provide goods and services and their primary aim is to make a profit e.g shops, manufactures or financial services
• voluntary sector


  non for profit , not government controlled
• hospitals

  • provide both inpatient and out patient services, out patient services include regular clinics day surgery
  • inpatient services include treatment for those who require 24 hr specialist support
  • service user referred to a hospital for specialist care
  • some hospitals have accident and emergency services, treat individuals directly for emergency treatment
• day care centres

  • used for people like older people, people with disabilities, learning difficulties, mental health problems, dementia or visual impairment
  • day care centres may be provided by statutory voluntary or private sectors
• hospice care

  • care may extend to support during bereavement period
  • improves quality of life for people who have an incurable illness
  • care may be available from when diagnosis of a terminal illness is made until the end of the individual's life
  • provide physical, social, emotional and practical needs of individual, their families and carers
• residential care

  • provide support for long term care of adults and children needing 24 hr support, which can't be provided adequately, appropriately in their aim home
  • residential care home, provides personal care like washing, dressing, medication
  • nursing home provides personal care also provides 24 hr care by qualified nurse, may contribute to planning, supervising and monitoring of tasks
• advantage of residential care

  • staff available 24hrs
  • safeguarding
  • prevent accidents
  • access to wider range of professionals
• domiciliary care

  • provided in home care
  • support can vary from 1 visit to 24hr care
  • provides both support with domestic tasks and personal care which will allow an individual to live independently as possible in their own home
• self referral


  making an appointment with a health and social care service oneself, rather than being referred by a GP
• third party referral


  when an individual contacts the health and social care and early years services for another individual
• professional referral


  a practioner like a GP, may wish their patient to see another practioner, so they arrange for them to do so e.g a GP may wish their patient to have an xray so they will contact a hospital who arrange an appointment
• why might an individual need a third party referral rather than self referral

  • people don't realise how ill they are due to having dementia, if they live alone they may not realise they are ill and a concerned friend could call
  • may have depression
• local authorities have a duty to carry out a community care assessment for anyone who appears to be finding it difficult to look after themselves without additional help for example the service user may need

  • a higher level of care like domicilary care or residential care
  • simple devices that can help the client to live independently like aids to open tins or jars
• when assessing a person's needs the health and social care professional need to consider

  • ability to move around without support from others so they can maintain safety and do things from themselves
  • cognitive abilities, they should be able to understand what is happening to them so they can live independently
  • ability to maintain relationships with others and maintain contact with family and friends to avoid becoming socially isolated
• to see if someone is eligible for the eligibility criteria, usually a social worker will have to consider whether these needs arise from

  • a physical, mental impairment or illness
  • inability to achieve at least 2 of the following daily activities prepare and eat food, wash themselves, manage their toilet needs, maintain their relationships and carry out caring responsibilities for their children
• barriers to accessing healthcare services

  • language
  • location of services
  • financial
  • cognitive
  • religion
  • lack of awareness
  • individual preference
• barrier faced by a service user with a sensory disability

  • cannot see literature due to visual impairment, so does not know the services are available
  • hearing problems could hinder communication causing low self esteem
  • emotional barriers caused by other people's attitudes can lead to feelings of being stigmatised
• barriers faced for a service user with a learning disability

  • cognitive barriers may mean they don't understand what is happening to them or the information that is provided
  • lack of awareness of resources/services available to them
  • communication barriers so they may struggle to express own needs
• barriers faced for a service user with a physical disability

  • mobility barriers like a wheelchair access means reduced confidence in accessing the building
  • discrimination/equality issues may mean the services are not made available to them
  • physical disabilities may mean they need additional support to access the service provided
• what support is there for people with a hearing impairment

  • hearing aids
  • interpretor
  • sign language
  • subtitles
• what support is there for people with a visual impairment

  • braille
  • guide dogs
• what support is there for people with a physical disability

  • adaptations to home
  • wheelchair access to ramps
  • automatic doors
• responsibilities of staff

  • recognise how to spot the signs of decreasing ability
  • utilise their communication skills effectively
  • has knowledge of the technology/ equipment available
  • follow policies and procedures in place in their work setting