This major new textbook will take a fresh look at professions and professionalism - what these terms mean and what they need to mean in the future in the health and social care field. Written by experienced teachers, the textbook: reviews the evidence on team and inter-professional working, teasing out the new perspectives and the skills required; examines what professional development entails and what it means in different fields of practice; tackles ethical dilemmas of practice alongside changing concepts in society of accountability; explores current debates about how professionals can be supported in their practice and how their performance is best regulated; and highlights the contribution that practitioners can make

This book offers an alternative, realistic and practical approach to help those in health and social care critically appraise what they read and what they see in the workplace.

What do social workers need to know in order to practise skilfully and effectively? Edited by three Social Work's leading scholars, the second edition of this highly respected textbook helps bridge the gap between social work theory and the challenges of day-to-day practice. Versatile and thoughtful, the book's simultaneous accessibility and depth make it essential reading suited for both social work students at undergraduate and post-qualifying level. Practitioners, too, will learn and benefit from the insights collected together in this valuable addition to their bookshelf.

Critical practice is at the core of all activity undertaken with service users, carers and their communities. Conveying the diverse nature of this work The Critical Practitioner in Social Work and Health Care takes a comprehensive and reflective look at key areas of practice and the challenges professionals face in training and in their working lives. The chapters focus on the skills and values fundamental to the caring role and helps readers understand the importance of being able to adapt to changing demands and expectations. Key features of the book include: " a multiprofessional approach, incorporating examples from health, social work, and social care " an integrated approach to theory and practice " a range of case studies to illustrate key themes and issues " coverage of core topics such as: ethics, management, supervision, teamwork, interprofessional working, practice with service-users, research, policy issues, accountability " strongly supports underpinning knowledge for the National Occupational Standards and subject benchmarks. The book encourages the reader to develop the confidence and analytic skills to achieve best practice across all areas of their work. It will be required reading for all those studying social work, nursing, and allied caring professions. It will also be of great help to practitioners wishing to reflect on and develop their own practice. This Reader includes revised and updated material from Brechin et al's Critical Practice in Health and Social Care also published by SAGE (2000). Sandy Fraser is a Lecturer in Social Work, Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University. He co-edited Doing Research with Children and Young People and The Reality of Research with Children and Young People (both 2004) published by SAGE Publications in association with The Open University. Sarah Matthews is a Staff Tutor in The Open University regional office in Manchester. She is also a Mental Health Act Commissioner and runs a training and consultancy business. She worked for 20 years as a qualified social worker, latterly as a senior manager.

`This book will serve well a diverse audience - in policy formulation and practice determination at all levels - who are committed to the nation′s health and well-being′ - Dianne Willcocks, Vice Chancellor, York St John University Critical Thinking in Health & Social Care is designed to equip practitioners with the knowledge and tools they need to critically examine practice in their own workplace. The book presents a range of different approaches, which have particular relevance in the context of health and social care. Each approach is explained and grounded in practice using case studies, problem-solving scenarios and workplace examples. The practical tools which form the core of the book are contextualised by an exploration of what constitutes knowledge and evidence and the types of assumptions which are commonly held and which have a bearing on practice. This is an essential text for advanced post-graduate health and social care students, and for those who are moving into more senior and strategic roles. Critical Thinking in Health & Social Care provides an array of tools which can be used to challenge and change existing practice and to solve problems. Stella Jones-Devitt is Head of Subject for Health Studies and Community Engagement at York St John University. Liz Smith is Programme Leader for Health Professional Studies, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull

Critical Hospital Social Work Practice sheds light on the fast-paced, high pressure role of the hospital social worker. At a time of public concern over the state of the NHS and the needs of a growing older population, the hospital social worker’s job is more important than ever. Yet, it is poorly understood and often overlooked by policy makers, managers and other professionals. Employing social theory to make sense of the contemporary context of health and social care, this book highlights the vital role played by social workers in planning complex hospital discharges. It provides an in-depth account of the activities of a typical hospital social work team in the UK, drawn from rigorous ethnographic fieldwork, and contrasts this with research evidence on hospital social work practices around the world. The author points towards exciting new directions for health-related social work and social work’s potential to develop critical gerontological practice. This book will be useful to social work students and practitioners working in hospital settings and with older people in general. It will also be of significant value to policy makers and academics who are interested in developing innovative approaches to meeting the needs of the ageing population.

Addressing the changing world of professionalism, this text combines theory, research and practice, using real case studies, to investigate the process of becoming professional. Mapping the journey from allied or associate practitioner positions through qualifying and into advanced practitioner status, it is a valuable companion for health and social care, social work and allied health students from the beginning of their studies. Developing Professional Practice in Health and Social Care is an accessible text, including case studies, reflective exercises and activities, chapter aims and summaries and further reading boxes throughout. It covers: the context for professional practice, including historical perspectives, policy and discussion of relevant competencies and frameworks the concept of professionalism, exploring what it means to be a professional values and ethics underpinning professional practice professional identity development, including formation and changes in identity professional practice in complex environments, paying particular attention to working in organisations becoming a critical and globally aware practitioner the role of evidence and knowledge in professional practice working with supervision. Maintaining a strong focus on the ethical dimensions of professional practice, this text emphasises how health and social care practitioners can contribute to social justice and challenge social exclusion.