Since writing the copyright paper “Changing the very Nature of the Care Sector” in 2016 (Copyright Ian Briggs and Jeanette Phillips) four years have passed.!!!
Despite an overwhelming response in London to “Changing the System” are we any further forward….. is the fundamental question.???
It is also five years since the CQC Fundamental Standards of Safe/Effective/Responsive/Compassionate and Well led parameters became law.
Are we making progress… ??? are the services we provide REALLY what our clients want, or as time passes, may the clients want a different type of service.
,
Mr B, a 89 year old gentleman is helping us with our research for improved services for older persons in the community; Mr B is a sound minded entrepreneur/businessman, who started his working on the 5th July 1948 in the newly founded NHS.
On arrival Mr B had caught a virus from his wife and his cough was persistent.
A discussion took place with Mr Bs wife and daughter (an experienced Registered Nurse), whether Mr B would like/need a Doctors appointment.
Mr B and his wife decided that he did not feel too bad and would be fine.
Mr Bs daughter works in research; and together with academic colleagues is trying to ”change thinking” in social care away from deficit based thinking to Strength based.
As part of this research we are looking if future clients would partake in a service promoting health and well being and peace of mind.
The new service being trialed is a “peace of mind service” where a qualified First Aider attends the Clients home to do basic checks and rule out any serious illness in Real Time.
It must be stated that this is not in any shape of form attempting to replace any Health Care professional/ Doctor/or Paramedic.
This service is to measure the impact, if people feel better “in themselves” knowing that this service is available;
People may find this new thinking quite different and possibly even threatening, however this is not the intention.
The overall objective is as follows:
Public Money may be saved if this thinking were to be upheld.
This may be deemed as a first step with people of sound mind taking responsibility for their own thinking and subsequent action.
Clients of the future may be interested in this type of service (recent research done by the CPIC in the South West of England have supported thus thinking).
Follow up Research.
Questions asked:
Did you find this service beneficial.
How did you feel at the time of the visit.
How did you feel a few days after the visit.
Would this type of service suit you as an individual.
Do you think this type of service has scope for future development.
Did this type of service make you feel confident for the future.
Answers to Questions: (feedback from Client).
Mr B fully understood that this was a new service being trialed and would be done in a CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT (ie in the presence of his daughter who was a Registered Health Care Professional).
Mr B said he felt very reassured at the time of the visit, and it was the promptness and speed of the service which was impressive.
The interesting feedback came a few days after the new visit trial (namely five days after the visit). Mr B said the most important personal impact from the visit is that he felt confident, a lot of his peer group suffered from lack of confidence to manage their own conditions (Mr Bs own words).
He felt it was a boost to his confidence and immediately felt better, Mr B said he found the visit very reassuring, and personally he would find this service great value for money.
Mr B is normally enjoys good health and felt that this type of service with give him the confidence to carry on being independent (more saving to the public purse).
On discussion Mr B thought that this service would benefit the public sector in freeing up health and social care resources to be accurately targeted.
Mr B said that this type of service would definitely make him feel more confident in the future.
Conclusion: This is very seed stage action research; the objective being bringing Strength based thinking into practice in the community; Does it make a difference if so…. What difference does it make….
As a researcher( with a crisis is Social Care…) doing nothing is not an option…. Doing SOMETHING in a trialed controlled environment may be a STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR….. A STEP TOO FAR…. (Depending on how individuals think/Who is right and who is wrong…..) . ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
Or….. Do we go round and round in circles doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results ( Einstein/Definition of Insanity)……
