Workstream members considered that these issues were mirrored at operational levels. They felt that there was a lack of understanding or, in some instances, appreciation of the skills and knowledge of social work staff, particularly in those circumstances in which there had been a diminution of social workers in operational first line and senior management posts. Workstream members believed that there was a need to urgently address social work career pathway opportunities across both practitioner and operational management grades in OPS in future workforce planning processes to secure the availability of professional supervision capacity, to develop senior operational social work practitioner posts to support the development of social work practice and stronger social work representation and expertise at senior management levels. The need to review the ratio of professional social work as opposed to social care staff across community services for older people was highlighted as a central theme. In the context of the rise in demand for services, the exponential increase in safeguarding volumes in particular, the levels of complexity across OPS caseloads and the overarching budgetary and resource position, Workstream members felt that there was a pressing need to develop a robust workforce planning model which clearly addressed a framework for determining social work and social care staffing levels including designated managerial posts at strategic and operational levels. There was a concern among Workstream members that the professional profile of social work had become diluted as a result of the use of the generic term social care workforce. Organisational investment in skills mix and the creation of non-profession specific posts had eroded designated social work capacity and further compounded concerns with regard to social work identity, status and profile. Workstream members welcomed the Strategy’s emphasis on the promotion of evidence-based outcomes, quality and performance frameworks which incorporated a strong service user perspective. In this regard they affirmed their view of the importance of performance frameworks which identified relevant, qualitative and measurable outcomes and related indicators pertaining to social work services. There was recognition that social workers themselves had a clear professional responsibility to articulate and profile the nature of their professionalism, evidence base and expertise. Fundamental to social work practice with older people was a respect for their individual dignity, exercise of choice, self participation and consent –determination, within an enabling relationship predicated on promoting their social, emotional and physical wellbeing. In those circumstances in which an individual was unable to exercise informed consent as a result of inhibited capacity or coercion, the social work role was underpinned by the exercise of statutory responsibilities to safeguard their welfare through the proportionate use of statutory powers delegated to the Trust
Workstream members considered that these issues were mirrored at operational levels. They felt that there was a lack of understanding or, in some instances, appreciation of the skills and knowledge of social work staff, particularly in those circumstances in which there had been a diminution of social workers in operational first line and senior management posts. Workstream members believed that there was a need to urgently address social work career pathway opportunities across both practitioner and operational management grades in OPS in future workforce planning processes to secure the availability of professional supervision capacity, to develop senior operational social work practitioner posts to support the development of social work practice and stronger social work representation and expertise at senior management levels. The need to review the ratio of professional social work as opposed to social care staff across community services for older people was highlighted as a central theme. In the context of the rise in demand for services, the exponential increase in safeguarding volumes in particular, the levels of complexity across OPS caseloads and the overarching budgetary and resource position, Workstream members felt that there was a pressing need to develop a robust workforce planning model which clearly addressed a framework for determining social work and social care staffing levels including designated managerial posts at strategic and operational levels. There was a concern among Workstream members that the professional profile of social work had become diluted as a result of the use of the generic term social care workforce. Organisational investment in skills mix and the creation of non-profession specific posts had eroded designated social work capacity and further compounded concerns with regard to social work identity, status and profile. Workstream members welcomed the Strategy’s emphasis on the promotion of evidence-based outcomes, quality and performance frameworks which incorporated a strong service user perspective. In this regard they affirmed their view of the importance of performance frameworks which identified relevant, qualitative and measurable outcomes and related indicators pertaining to social work services. There was recognition that social workers themselves had a clear professional responsibility to articulate and profile the nature of their professionalism, evidence base and expertise. Fundamental to social work practice with older people was a respect for their individual dignity, exercise of choice, self –determination, participation and consent within an enabling relationship predicated on promoting their social, emotional and physical wellbeing. In those circumstances in which an individual was unable to exercise informed consent as a result of inhibited capacity or coercion, the social work role was underpinned by the exercise of statutory responsibilities to safeguard their welfare through the proportionate use of statutory powers delegated to the Trust