Journal of interprofessional care
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Health Canada (the federal government department in Canada responsible for health issues) commissioned a research team to conduct an environmental scan and research report in order to understand interprofessional education and collaborative patient-centred practice (IECPCP). This paper presents the findings from semi-structured telephone interviews with key informants conducted as part of the environmental scan. ⋯ These factors were grouped according the following themes: lack of consensus regarding terminology; the need for both champions and external support; sensitization to the effects of professional culture, and logistics of implementation. Findings are discussed related to the literature and to the other papers included in this supplement to the Journal of Interprofessional Care.
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Promoting cultural competency in health care was examined from the Canadian perspective, and explored practice environments and educational programs for future health professionals that foster cultural awareness and support culturally sensitive care. Many of the issues raised are generic and likely to occur whenever patients' health practices and beliefs differ from conventional Western care. The main theme that emerged with respect to the practice environment was the use of a participatory action approach to foster collaboration with patients, traditional healers and the community. ⋯ These teams should not only comprise partners from medicine, nursing, physical therapy and other health professions but also include aboriginal paraprofessionals. Pedagogical initiatives also need to incorporate case-based formats and interactive sessions with patients and families. The principles underlying this approach: openness, mutual respect, inclusiveness, responsiveness and understanding one's roles should be fundamental to the delivery of culturally competent health care to all ethnic communities.
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In England, the theme of promoting collaborative working between social and primary health care remains high on the policy agenda. The underlying assumption, largely untested, is that a greater degree of structural integration benefits service users. This paper reports the findings from a feasibility study comparing two models of joint working and examining the relative impact of personal characteristics, service use and co-location on the likelihood of older people remaining in the community. ⋯ The findings suggest that co-location does not necessarily lead to substantially closer interprofessional working in terms of greater contact between social workers and GPs or social workers and community nurses. Factors affecting outcome were degree of cognitive impairment, intensity of home care received and whether the older person lived alone. Whatever the model of collaborative working, its effects on remaining in the community must be assessed in the wider context of the characteristics and services received by older people.
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This article examines our current state of knowledge about partnership working between health and social care in UK adult mental health services. Drawing on a narrative review of the literature commissioned by the National Institute for Mental Health, this paper focuses on 43 documents from the review which discuss partnership issues. After exploring the rationale for partnership working, potential barriers and possible ways forward, the paper identifies gaps in the existing literature and discusses the implications of the review for current health and social care policy.