Social Work Process Analysis

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The Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990 oversaw profound changes to both social work and the welfare state. Up until then, social workers were guided by bureaucratic rules but had the professional authority to respond flexibly to individual circumstances. REF113 (Ellis, 2014). Following the introduction of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 saw the split role of health authorities and local authorities by changing their internal structure, so that local authority departments assess the needs of the local population and then purchase the necessary services from 'providers'. To become 'providers' in the internal market, health organizations became NHS trusts, competing with each other. NEEDS EDITING AS ITS COPIED Marketization was a process …show more content…

Within a climate of austerity, social work is facing a period of unprecedented change101 (Brown, 2015). Disability support workers are left to deal with such consequences, lone-working long shifts instead of paying for two staff members to be on duty. The system of performance measurement was introduced widely across public services by the ‘new’ labour government, which outlined that social workers are to priorities service performances and those elements of service provisions which are measured, although, it is likely that these are not the most important elements REF14(Holloway, …show more content…

Direct payments enable service users to purchase their own services, thereby increasing control over the services received. There is now a mandatory requirement for local authorities to offer direct payments to all adult service users REF142 (Department of Health, 2003). Direct payment is used to promote personalisation, which seeks to restore service user’s rights. REF15 (Lymbery, 2012). Needs were increasingly seen in individualistic rather than social terms, with more emphasis on individualism, less on changing the social environment. ‘Personalized’ care and personal budgets have developed in health and social care, to give individuals more say over how their needs are catered for. This can encourage the use of private care in place of direct State service provision. REF 13 (Chandler,

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