Welcome to our Site
This is a large and growing workforce in the United States, encompassing jobs that cut across income and education levels, ranging from personal attendants and childcare workers to nurses and physicians. Enhancing the quality, size, and stability of this workforce touches on many of the central economic and social issues of our time, ranging from off-shoring to immigration, national competitiveness to shared prosperity and reducing the ranks of the working poor. Seven of the ten fastest growing occupations in the United States are health and/or care professions. Due in part to growing demand, there are persistent difficulties recruiting direct care workers across a variety of occupational categories (e.g., nurses; home health workers; childcare workers; some physician specialties).
The problems of job vacancies are compounded by high turnover in many direct care professions, with dramatic and negative consequences for consumers of these services, the workers themselves, the organizations that employ them, and society as a whole. There continue to be numerous public-and private-sector initiatives to retain direct care professionals, and growing interest in this workforce from federal and state agencies which provide significant funding streams for these services. The Health and Social Care Bill was introduced into Parliament on 19 January 2011. The Bill is a crucial part of the Government’s vision to modernise the NHS so that it is built around patients, led by health professionals and focused on delivering world-class healthcare outcomes.
The Bill takes forward the areas of Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS (July 2010) and the subsequent Government response Liberating the NHS: legislative framework and next steps (December 2010), which require primary legislation. It also includes provision to strengthen public health services and reform the Department’s arm’s length bodies. Health and social care professionals can offer advice and services to people with dementia and their carers. This factsheet sets out what help is available to someone with dementia. It is always a good idea to seek help while the dementia is still at an early stage, so that you know where to turn when the need arises. A wide range of health and social care services are available to people with dementia, and to those who care for them. The services available, and the way they are organised, vary from area to area. Most are arranged through the NHS or through social services, although some are provided by voluntary organisations. For information on what is available locally, contact your local social services department and your GP surgery as a first step, or ask at your local Citizens Advice Bureau (see 'Useful organisations') or library.
In addition, some services may be available privately. If you decide to use someone privately, check on fees first and make sure they are appropriately qualified. A personal recommendation may be the best way to find a good private practitioner. You may need to be persistent to get the information and help you want. Health professionals and care professionals have a duty to work closely with each other and communicate amongst themselves. However, you may sometimes find that relevant information is not passed on. Try to tactfully explain the situation each time you meet a new professional to make sure that they are aware of the whole picture. Health and social care is a vast service sector undergoing rapid change, with new government initiatives giving it a higher profile than ever. Priorities on the healthcare agenda include being more responsive to patient needs, and preventing illness by promoting a healthy lifestyle.
The focus in frontline health and social care is on giving service-users more independence, choice and control. These developments mean there’s greater demand for well-trained and multi-skilled people across a range of rewarding employment opportunities.
Providing help and care for those in need or who are vulnerable offers a unique sense of personal and career fulfilment. Through OU study you can become part of this essential and worthwhile sector, or you can build on your existing professional experience and progress your career in a particular area of health and social care. |
