Managing Quality in Health and Social Care
Introduction and background notes (vocational context)
As a health and social care worker employed in a Local Authority facility in West London you are required to have an understanding of strategies for achieving and improving quality in health and social care services within the community in which you work it. Your organization has recently encountered frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases which have affected the quality of services and for which a solution is required. Your Senior Manager in a bid to find comprehensive solution to the problems facing the organization as outlined has asked you and other colleagues to make written contributions by answering the questions following. The manager will collate and analyze the answers in the hope that these will provide a variety of insights that will ultimately help to solve the problems.
Case Scenario: There has recently been the spread of infectious diseases suspected to be linked to Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) within the facility where you work for the care of elderly residents. A large number of the clients of whom are susceptible to infection share eating and living accommodation. Infections constitute a major cause of illness among care home residents which often result in an increase hospital admission rate; it is therefore very important to tackle such infections as quickly and efficiently as possible. Some healthcare-associated infections are resistant to antibiotics and this situation has generated high media attention while the residents their families and relatives as well as local residents have all been very alarmed. Incidentally everyone seems to have an opinion and solution to the problem.
General prevailing conditions: This case under consideration is happening at a period of economic recession when funding from the Local Authorities have been slashed and health and social care service providers are advised to re-evaluate and wherever possible redesign their strategies approaches and systems for services delivery. Such changes have to be done with a view to improving service quality the reduction in funding notwithstanding. The main focus of your discussions throughout the assignment must be on Managing Quality and should relate primarily to the case study while exploring wider issues relating to managing quality
Task 1: LO1 Understanding differing perspectives of quality in relation to health and social care services using the case scenario you must include the following in your report and discussion to demonstrate an understanding of the differing perspectives of quality in relation to health and social care services
1.1 Explain the perspectives that stakeholders connected with the health and social care organization can have regarding quality
1.2 Analyze the role of external agencies in setting standards for quality in health and social care
1.3 Assess the impact of poor service quality on the stakeholders connected with the health and social care organization under consideration.
Task 2: LO2 Understand strategies for achieving quality in health and social care services 2.1 explain the standards that exist in health and social care for measuring quality especially in residential care facilities
2.2 Evaluate different approaches to implementing quality systems
2.3 Analyze potential barriers to delivery of quality health and social care services in the case study organization
Task 3: LO3 Be able to evaluate systems policies and procedures in health and social care 3.1 Evaluate the effectiveness of systems policies and procedures used in the health and social care setting in achieving quality in the service(s) offered
3.2 Analyze other factor(s) that influence the achievement of quality in the health and social care service 3.3 Suggest ways in which the health and social care facility could improve qualities
