Learner Reg. Number: U981337
UNIT 5, Assignment 2
Working Together in Partnership to Meet Needs
Introduction
Agencies working collaboratively involves the effective communication and use of
expertise in different fields, to develop ideas and make suitable decisions and
suggestions, on how best the care of a service user can be best prioritised in a more
person-centred manner. This can be seen as a form of collaboration between
professionals called “Multidisciplinary Working”. Multidisciplinary working involves a
group of professionals who come together to establish collaborative and co-productive
approaches to the healthcare and/or social care of an individual or a group of individuals.
They can be seen as essential for delivering comprehensive, holistic and person-centred
healthcare that matters to the individual. (Wardle, 2024) This type of working is followed
accordingly, between these agencies, so that there is a better co-ordination of support
and care for the service user, as well as improved outcomes of care and support for
them. It can help to strengthen community ties and encourage collaboration between
different sectors in health and social care to work in an appropriate orderly fashion,
through teamwork.
Service users to discuss
Martin
- 17 years
- Has a hearing impairment - uses 2 hearing aids (1 in both ears) to manage with
this problem.
- Uses BSL to communicate with other members of staff about any issues he may
face, while at college (Other members of staff have been encouraging students to
learn BSL to communicate with Martin). Some students have been making fun of
Martin’s condition, and he has reported to teachers about this, nothing has been
done, he claims.
- His father offers to be his advocate in his times of need, but Martin’s tutor
has stated that he can cope on his own. However, Martin’s EHC (Education health
and care plan) states that he is to have an advocate when it may feel as if it
is required in situations.
- Martin also has asthma, which has recently become more concerning, according
to his GP – Recommended that Martin is to take a break from attending college,
despite his upcoming end of year exams.
Gina
- 16 years
- Has a part-time job at the local supermarket. Gina’s father also works in the
same place.
- Father is disabled, Gina helps him by preparing meals for his breakfast, lunch and
dinner, also does house chores to make the house more habitable.
- Gina has heard that there is support available for her to access, so that she can
get assistance in helping around the house, but her father has told her not to find
out about it, as he thinks they are managing just fine with their situation.
1
,Learner Reg. Number: U981337
- Gina has been developing more headaches recently, due to a lack of sleep –
interruptions from her dad listening to the radio at night.
- Gina’s teachers have become more concerned, as they have noticed her increase
in the lack of attention she has in the classroom.
The role of organisations responsible for commissioning
Healthcare Services
Clinical Commissioning Groups in England are groups that are made from doctors,
nurses, and other professionals coming together, using their knowledge on local health
needs to commission the best available services to patients. Originally formed in April
2013 and overseen by the NHS, CCGs give patients, communities and clinicians more
scope in deciding how local services are developed in the community. They assess the
health needs of those living in the area, commissioning most hospitals and community
services within it.
In Martin’s case, these groups could help to grant him a better access to professionals
which can meet his physical needs, alongside his wellbeing. In terms of physical needs,
the CCG can commission audiologists (doctors that specialise in hearing issues) and
impairment management services, such as hearing aid maintenance, which can allow
Martin to have regular audiology appointments to adjust his hearing aid where
necessary, as well as having audiologists that can make close observations and identify
any issues/further deteriorations with his hearing impairment. Martin could also be
commissioned asthma management through referrals to respiratory services and
pulmonologists (doctors that specialise in respiratory conditions), so that he can have his
asthma controlled better through preventative methods, making it less impactful in
everything he does inside and out of the college. In terms of his wellbeing, the CCG can
commission for mental health support services, recognising the impacts of the bullying
on his confidence and self-esteem. It can help to address the bullying that he has been
facing and give him the best advice and support on how to overcome the situation.
Through the CCG, the commissioning could lead to better co-ordination between his
health and his education, in which joint plans can be made, to prevent either his asthma,
education or his mental health being compromised. This can be done through reviews
and alterations being made on his EHC, so that everything can be prioritised equally.
In Gina’s case, these groups could recognise the roles and responsibilities of young
carers in Gina’s community, thus making links to all the possible impacts it could have on
her health and wellbeing. As a result of this, the CCGs can commission for respite care
services, so that she can have more time to take care of herself better, taking it slow and
easy, preventing burnouts and strains. The CCG could also commission for mental health
support through counselling, to address the headaches and tired state that Gina is
constantly in almost every day. This could include advice on how to rest better, coping
strategies and how she could discuss the situation to her father, without offending him or
overcomplicating the issue. The CCG may also recognise how the many responsibilities
that she has can be overwhelming to cope with, which could lead to long-term health
issues if left unaddressed. The CCG as a result could commission health assessments and
interventions, through general health check-ups to assess the impacts of the caregiving
responsibility that she has. There can also be referrals to neurologists (doctors that
specialise in brain/nervous system conditions) if the CCG suspects there are any other
underlying issues that she may have gained because of so much stress. CCGs can also
2
,Learner Reg. Number: U981337
address the academic situation that she may be facing (falling behind), and make
arrangements for education support, such as tutoring and mentoring.
Formed in October 2009, the Local Health Board in Wales, consists of 7 health boards
working alongside 3 NHS trusts. The main responsibilities that the Local Health Board in
Wales have includes planning, sourcing and delivering primary care, hospital and
community services, as well as providing information in their local area regarding health
and safety. Members of the Local Health Boards in Wales includes representatives at an
executive level, GP’s, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, as well as people working in
areas like public relations and finance. They are also accountable to the Welsh
government, meaning they are deemed one of the most important groups within the
nation in terms of the healthcare that they are to maintain of its people.
In Martin’s case, the Local health board in Wales can provide services in which can
support him with his health and wellbeing, similarly to the Clinical Commissioning Groups
in England. They can commission audiology services for regular hearing aid maintenance
and adjustments where necessary, as well as fund BSL training programmes for staff and
students at his college. This can be done to promote inclusivity, so that Martin can feel
more accepted in his college community. As part of sourcing primary care however, the
LHB in Wales can make provide assistive technology in which Martin can use
independently, so that he can build confidence and make a belief in himself that if he can
manage and overcome the equipment, he can overcome various other situations in his
life, like the bullying. The LHB in Wales must make all efforts to prioritise Martin’s health,
and this can be done through the referrals to pulmonologists and regular health check-
ups being carried out. Asthma action plans can also be set up to follow, in the case where
it does become increasingly hazardous for Martin to cope with independently. When this
is done, this can prevent the deterioration of his condition, allowing pulmonologists to
develop treatments that could help him to cope better.
In Gina’s case, the Local Health Board in Wales could make referrals to young carer
support services, similarly to the CCGs in England, so that the appropriate advice and
support can be given to Gina on how this responsibility can impact her health and
wellbeing, and strategies she could carry out so that she can manage better. Respite
care can be provided, so that she can gain more time to catch up with anything that she
has been falling behind on, such as her education, or spending time with friends. The LHB
in Wales can also connect Gina with financial aids and grants, due to her caring
responsibility. Finally, the LHB in Wales can help her navigate social care services, as she
had been wondering on getting for her situation at home. This can allow her opinion to
be voiced on the situation, rather than having her feel as if she should supress her
emotions and just care for her father. General health check-ups can be commissioned for
Gina, so that any changes to her health can be easily identified from the stress and
methods of treatment can be carried out sooner to protect her.
Set in April 2009, the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland was created
to commission for both Healthcare and Social Care services in Northern Ireland. They are
also responsible for the management of resources, performance and service
improvement. The health board consists of 5 local commissioning groups, alongside 5
HSC trusts nationwide. Members of this group include representatives on an executive
level, various HSC services, as well as individuals who work in areas like public relations
and finance.
3
, Learner Reg. Number: U981337
In Martin’s case, the HSC Board in Northern Ireland can manage resources and
commission services specific to his needs and preferences, in which he can access, to
help him benefit from support that he can receive to improve his quality of life. Specialist
services such as mental health counselling, audiology and pulmonology can be
commissioned and funded by the HSC board, making them available in Martin’s local
area. The quicker these services are provided by the HSC Board, the faster professionals
can reach Martin and help him manage (hearing impairment support, asthma
management) and overcome (the bullying and lack of confidence and self-esteem) the
challenges that he is facing, approaching them in a holistic manner. This can prevent the
further deterioration of Martin’s asthma, via early interventions and treatments being put
in place by these services that were made available.
In Gina’s case, the HSC Board in Northern Ireland can commission Young Carer services,
for individuals like Gina, so that she may have easier access to the support she was
previously struggling to gain. The board can also commission for social care assistance,
such as home care and meal delivery, so that Gina can have the responsibility of food
preparation and housework off her shoulders, giving time for her to work on her personal
development. The HSC Board can create awareness campaigns in which the explaqin the
roles of young carers in the community and how best they can be supported by the
community. This can give the people in the academy knowledge on the role, allowing
Gina to have a wider range of people that she can trust to communicate her caring
responsibilities to, as well as any issues that she may have as a result of them, whether
they are physical, social or emotional.
Integrated Care Boards became compulsory within England, a few years ago in 2022,
replacing the CCGs in England. They are the strategic decision-making bodies of ICSs
(Integrated Care Systems), which bring all services and professionals involved in
providing care services to the local community. (NHS England, 2023) Within Bedford, the
ICB position changed a few weeks ago, from the BLMK ICB to the NHS Central East ICB.
This has allowed the ICB to make further progress to the decisions they make for local
communities in the whole of the Central East, rather than Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton
Keynes alone. The new ICB makes decisions for the original 3 areas, alongside
Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
In Martin’s case, the ICB can help co-ordinate asthma care for him, by ensuring that he
has access to specialist respiratory specialists and departments and asthma action plans.
This can be done to establish the support that he is eligible to receive from the
specialists, and help secure the management of his asthma, to prevent its further
deterioration. The specialists can also work with the college to help minimise any triggers
that could cause his asthma to kick off, making the college a safer area for him to carry
out his academic studies. The ICB can also produce mental health and wellbeing support
services, that can provide counselling and therapy services through mental health action
plans. The ICB can ensure that individuals like Martin can have access to these, so that
the professionals can properly address and consider the bullying that he has to endure,
and his self-esteem issues, so that the situation at the college can be seen as a genuine
cause for concern that the professionals have for his mental health. The ICB can also
ensure that the physical and mental health specialists, that are supporting Martin, are
advocating for his needs, so that Martin can have his voice heard clearly.
In Gina’s case, the ICB can identify her as a young carer, and connecting her to local
young carer’s support, where she can receive personalised support and advice for the
4
UNIT 5, Assignment 2
Working Together in Partnership to Meet Needs
Introduction
Agencies working collaboratively involves the effective communication and use of
expertise in different fields, to develop ideas and make suitable decisions and
suggestions, on how best the care of a service user can be best prioritised in a more
person-centred manner. This can be seen as a form of collaboration between
professionals called “Multidisciplinary Working”. Multidisciplinary working involves a
group of professionals who come together to establish collaborative and co-productive
approaches to the healthcare and/or social care of an individual or a group of individuals.
They can be seen as essential for delivering comprehensive, holistic and person-centred
healthcare that matters to the individual. (Wardle, 2024) This type of working is followed
accordingly, between these agencies, so that there is a better co-ordination of support
and care for the service user, as well as improved outcomes of care and support for
them. It can help to strengthen community ties and encourage collaboration between
different sectors in health and social care to work in an appropriate orderly fashion,
through teamwork.
Service users to discuss
Martin
- 17 years
- Has a hearing impairment - uses 2 hearing aids (1 in both ears) to manage with
this problem.
- Uses BSL to communicate with other members of staff about any issues he may
face, while at college (Other members of staff have been encouraging students to
learn BSL to communicate with Martin). Some students have been making fun of
Martin’s condition, and he has reported to teachers about this, nothing has been
done, he claims.
- His father offers to be his advocate in his times of need, but Martin’s tutor
has stated that he can cope on his own. However, Martin’s EHC (Education health
and care plan) states that he is to have an advocate when it may feel as if it
is required in situations.
- Martin also has asthma, which has recently become more concerning, according
to his GP – Recommended that Martin is to take a break from attending college,
despite his upcoming end of year exams.
Gina
- 16 years
- Has a part-time job at the local supermarket. Gina’s father also works in the
same place.
- Father is disabled, Gina helps him by preparing meals for his breakfast, lunch and
dinner, also does house chores to make the house more habitable.
- Gina has heard that there is support available for her to access, so that she can
get assistance in helping around the house, but her father has told her not to find
out about it, as he thinks they are managing just fine with their situation.
1
,Learner Reg. Number: U981337
- Gina has been developing more headaches recently, due to a lack of sleep –
interruptions from her dad listening to the radio at night.
- Gina’s teachers have become more concerned, as they have noticed her increase
in the lack of attention she has in the classroom.
The role of organisations responsible for commissioning
Healthcare Services
Clinical Commissioning Groups in England are groups that are made from doctors,
nurses, and other professionals coming together, using their knowledge on local health
needs to commission the best available services to patients. Originally formed in April
2013 and overseen by the NHS, CCGs give patients, communities and clinicians more
scope in deciding how local services are developed in the community. They assess the
health needs of those living in the area, commissioning most hospitals and community
services within it.
In Martin’s case, these groups could help to grant him a better access to professionals
which can meet his physical needs, alongside his wellbeing. In terms of physical needs,
the CCG can commission audiologists (doctors that specialise in hearing issues) and
impairment management services, such as hearing aid maintenance, which can allow
Martin to have regular audiology appointments to adjust his hearing aid where
necessary, as well as having audiologists that can make close observations and identify
any issues/further deteriorations with his hearing impairment. Martin could also be
commissioned asthma management through referrals to respiratory services and
pulmonologists (doctors that specialise in respiratory conditions), so that he can have his
asthma controlled better through preventative methods, making it less impactful in
everything he does inside and out of the college. In terms of his wellbeing, the CCG can
commission for mental health support services, recognising the impacts of the bullying
on his confidence and self-esteem. It can help to address the bullying that he has been
facing and give him the best advice and support on how to overcome the situation.
Through the CCG, the commissioning could lead to better co-ordination between his
health and his education, in which joint plans can be made, to prevent either his asthma,
education or his mental health being compromised. This can be done through reviews
and alterations being made on his EHC, so that everything can be prioritised equally.
In Gina’s case, these groups could recognise the roles and responsibilities of young
carers in Gina’s community, thus making links to all the possible impacts it could have on
her health and wellbeing. As a result of this, the CCGs can commission for respite care
services, so that she can have more time to take care of herself better, taking it slow and
easy, preventing burnouts and strains. The CCG could also commission for mental health
support through counselling, to address the headaches and tired state that Gina is
constantly in almost every day. This could include advice on how to rest better, coping
strategies and how she could discuss the situation to her father, without offending him or
overcomplicating the issue. The CCG may also recognise how the many responsibilities
that she has can be overwhelming to cope with, which could lead to long-term health
issues if left unaddressed. The CCG as a result could commission health assessments and
interventions, through general health check-ups to assess the impacts of the caregiving
responsibility that she has. There can also be referrals to neurologists (doctors that
specialise in brain/nervous system conditions) if the CCG suspects there are any other
underlying issues that she may have gained because of so much stress. CCGs can also
2
,Learner Reg. Number: U981337
address the academic situation that she may be facing (falling behind), and make
arrangements for education support, such as tutoring and mentoring.
Formed in October 2009, the Local Health Board in Wales, consists of 7 health boards
working alongside 3 NHS trusts. The main responsibilities that the Local Health Board in
Wales have includes planning, sourcing and delivering primary care, hospital and
community services, as well as providing information in their local area regarding health
and safety. Members of the Local Health Boards in Wales includes representatives at an
executive level, GP’s, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, as well as people working in
areas like public relations and finance. They are also accountable to the Welsh
government, meaning they are deemed one of the most important groups within the
nation in terms of the healthcare that they are to maintain of its people.
In Martin’s case, the Local health board in Wales can provide services in which can
support him with his health and wellbeing, similarly to the Clinical Commissioning Groups
in England. They can commission audiology services for regular hearing aid maintenance
and adjustments where necessary, as well as fund BSL training programmes for staff and
students at his college. This can be done to promote inclusivity, so that Martin can feel
more accepted in his college community. As part of sourcing primary care however, the
LHB in Wales can make provide assistive technology in which Martin can use
independently, so that he can build confidence and make a belief in himself that if he can
manage and overcome the equipment, he can overcome various other situations in his
life, like the bullying. The LHB in Wales must make all efforts to prioritise Martin’s health,
and this can be done through the referrals to pulmonologists and regular health check-
ups being carried out. Asthma action plans can also be set up to follow, in the case where
it does become increasingly hazardous for Martin to cope with independently. When this
is done, this can prevent the deterioration of his condition, allowing pulmonologists to
develop treatments that could help him to cope better.
In Gina’s case, the Local Health Board in Wales could make referrals to young carer
support services, similarly to the CCGs in England, so that the appropriate advice and
support can be given to Gina on how this responsibility can impact her health and
wellbeing, and strategies she could carry out so that she can manage better. Respite
care can be provided, so that she can gain more time to catch up with anything that she
has been falling behind on, such as her education, or spending time with friends. The LHB
in Wales can also connect Gina with financial aids and grants, due to her caring
responsibility. Finally, the LHB in Wales can help her navigate social care services, as she
had been wondering on getting for her situation at home. This can allow her opinion to
be voiced on the situation, rather than having her feel as if she should supress her
emotions and just care for her father. General health check-ups can be commissioned for
Gina, so that any changes to her health can be easily identified from the stress and
methods of treatment can be carried out sooner to protect her.
Set in April 2009, the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland was created
to commission for both Healthcare and Social Care services in Northern Ireland. They are
also responsible for the management of resources, performance and service
improvement. The health board consists of 5 local commissioning groups, alongside 5
HSC trusts nationwide. Members of this group include representatives on an executive
level, various HSC services, as well as individuals who work in areas like public relations
and finance.
3
, Learner Reg. Number: U981337
In Martin’s case, the HSC Board in Northern Ireland can manage resources and
commission services specific to his needs and preferences, in which he can access, to
help him benefit from support that he can receive to improve his quality of life. Specialist
services such as mental health counselling, audiology and pulmonology can be
commissioned and funded by the HSC board, making them available in Martin’s local
area. The quicker these services are provided by the HSC Board, the faster professionals
can reach Martin and help him manage (hearing impairment support, asthma
management) and overcome (the bullying and lack of confidence and self-esteem) the
challenges that he is facing, approaching them in a holistic manner. This can prevent the
further deterioration of Martin’s asthma, via early interventions and treatments being put
in place by these services that were made available.
In Gina’s case, the HSC Board in Northern Ireland can commission Young Carer services,
for individuals like Gina, so that she may have easier access to the support she was
previously struggling to gain. The board can also commission for social care assistance,
such as home care and meal delivery, so that Gina can have the responsibility of food
preparation and housework off her shoulders, giving time for her to work on her personal
development. The HSC Board can create awareness campaigns in which the explaqin the
roles of young carers in the community and how best they can be supported by the
community. This can give the people in the academy knowledge on the role, allowing
Gina to have a wider range of people that she can trust to communicate her caring
responsibilities to, as well as any issues that she may have as a result of them, whether
they are physical, social or emotional.
Integrated Care Boards became compulsory within England, a few years ago in 2022,
replacing the CCGs in England. They are the strategic decision-making bodies of ICSs
(Integrated Care Systems), which bring all services and professionals involved in
providing care services to the local community. (NHS England, 2023) Within Bedford, the
ICB position changed a few weeks ago, from the BLMK ICB to the NHS Central East ICB.
This has allowed the ICB to make further progress to the decisions they make for local
communities in the whole of the Central East, rather than Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton
Keynes alone. The new ICB makes decisions for the original 3 areas, alongside
Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
In Martin’s case, the ICB can help co-ordinate asthma care for him, by ensuring that he
has access to specialist respiratory specialists and departments and asthma action plans.
This can be done to establish the support that he is eligible to receive from the
specialists, and help secure the management of his asthma, to prevent its further
deterioration. The specialists can also work with the college to help minimise any triggers
that could cause his asthma to kick off, making the college a safer area for him to carry
out his academic studies. The ICB can also produce mental health and wellbeing support
services, that can provide counselling and therapy services through mental health action
plans. The ICB can ensure that individuals like Martin can have access to these, so that
the professionals can properly address and consider the bullying that he has to endure,
and his self-esteem issues, so that the situation at the college can be seen as a genuine
cause for concern that the professionals have for his mental health. The ICB can also
ensure that the physical and mental health specialists, that are supporting Martin, are
advocating for his needs, so that Martin can have his voice heard clearly.
In Gina’s case, the ICB can identify her as a young carer, and connecting her to local
young carer’s support, where she can receive personalised support and advice for the
4
