Placing the spotlight on Shropshire this World Social Work Day
As World Social Work Day (Tuesday 19 March 2013) is marked across the globe, today in Shropshire the day-to-day role of council social workers has included helping individuals to remain in their own home rather than going into hospital, and preparing clinics to support carers.
Gemma McIver is just one of these social workers. Here she provides an insight on life in the Integrated Hospital Assessment and Avoidance Team at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital:-
“As a hospital social worker I am fortunate enough to have a career that I am both energised and passionate about.
“World Social Work Day is an annual opportunity to share more about the role of social workers, and provide a personal account of what makes my job so rewarding.
“People enter social work for many different reasons; my personal motivation to become a social worker within the hospital began when my own grandmother was admitted to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
“As a family we wanted to support her needs, but felt the dilemma of caring and daily life were in conflict. The support we received through the hospital social worker team was valuable in enabling us to manage as effectively as possible, and reduce the risk of future hospital admissions.
“I now feel in a really privileged position to support people during periods of their lives which I understand firsthand can be extremely challenging.
“As a social worker based in the hospital, my role is to ensure that when planning any hospital discharge, a vulnerable person is treated beyond just their physical symptoms and that their emotional, social and practical needs are also fully explored.
“Just this week, I was called to visit an 82-year-old female patient in the Accident and Emergency Department. The nursing team discussed that the ambulance crew had brought her to hospital because she had fallen trying to get to the bathroom during the night. Her daughter had then found her the following morning and called 999. The woman was bruised and shaken, but the hospital informed us that she did not require an ongoing admission.
“When I met with the individual and her family it was immediately apparent that her daughter and son were providing an incredible amount of family care and, understandably, were feeling the strain of such a commitment. The lady stated that, although she wanted to remain at home, she felt unable to keep relying on her family, and had started looking at local care homes as she felt this was her only available option.
“Through a person-centred assessment, we began working together and developed a support plan. The plan identified her needs, the support she was eligible for, and promoted Shropshire Council’s aims to provide choice and control for people using services as well as support for their carers.
“The Frail and Complex team provided follow up physiotherapy support and an occupational therapy assessment to provide equipment to support her once home. I was able to offer a range of services, and introduce a number of partners to support the lady to retain her independence in her own home and improve her overall quality of life.
“Through assistive technology, the lady was provided with access to a pendant alarm in the event of her experiencing a future fall. Red Cross and Age UK also agreed to visit her over the following few days to discuss support with attending appointments, shopping, social inclusion opportunities and domestic chores.
“In addition, our in-house Short Term Assessment and Re-ablement Team (START) was brought in to offer their specialist support service. The team provides a short burst of intensive work for people to enable them to regain and maximise their independence. A carers’ assessment was also arranged to ensure that the family’s needs were met as far as possible.
“Social work is a vital element in how our local community cares for those in need; the hospital is at the forefront of this. The setting I work in provides constant development and resources to ensure that patients and their carers have the opportunity to be empowered in all aspects of decisions and actions affecting their lives. Working within this setting also allows me as a social worker to be an advocate for vulnerable people, and promote my professional ethics and values. As a frontline worker, I am honoured to be able to contribute collectively with a range of professionals to improving people’s well-being.”
