Statement 9 Flashcards
Statement 9
‘The benefits to older service users of effective interdisciplinary team working.’
Effective Team Working
A team can be defined as a group of individuals who work towards an outcome for which all members are mutually responsible.
Effective team working is essential for the effective delivery of health and social care services. A team can be defined as a group of individuals who work towards an outcome for which all members are mutually responsible.
In the field of Health and Social care, various HSC professionals, each with different skills, will work together to meet the individual needs of the service user with the intention to improve or maintain an individual’s health and wellbeing. Within health or social care settings the term interdisciplinary team is commonly used.
Interdisciplinary teamwork is essential for an older service user to receive the support they need to lead a purposeful and fulfilling life.
What is an Interdisciplinary Team?
Interdisciplinary teamwork allows staff to share their expertise, knowledge, and skills in a collective way in order to assess, plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate the care provided to older people. This is achieved through a joined up approach involving shared decision making, shared planning, shared responsibility, and shared power.
A team of health and social care professionals from different disciplines, together with the patient, undertakes assessment, diagnosis, intervention, goal setting and the creation of a care plan. The patient, their family and carers are involved in any discussions about their condition, prognosis, and care plan. (+ve)
Interdisciplinary working however can and does fail. This can happen if the team is not cohesive, for example if there is any contention in relation to the shared responsibility of the professionals involved in the team or the impact of lack of funding. Failure of the interdisciplinary team can be catastrophic for the service user and indeed for the staff. (-ve)
The Difference between Interdisciplinary Team and Multidisciplinary Team
Both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teamwork are used in healthcare. However, although there is a clear difference between the two approaches to care, many educational researchers and practitioners use these terms interchangeably. The fundamental difference lies in the collaborative care plan that is only developed in interdisciplinary patient interventions, as multidisciplinary care does not emphasise an integrated approach to care.
Multidisciplinary Team
In a multidisciplinary team, each healthcare professional uses their own expertise to develop individual care goals.
Interdisciplinary Team
In an interdisciplinary team, each team member builds on each other’s expertise to achieve common, shared goals.
Therefore, it is crucial to indicate that multidisciplinary teams work in a team, whereas interdisciplinary teams engage in teamwork.
Multidisciplinary vs. Interdisciplinary
Diagram
Why are interdisciplinary teams important for older people?
Interdisciplinary care must occur to bring about improved patient outcomes such as more efficient practice, an increased individualised and patient-centred approach and improved quality in care.
The Benefits to Older Service Users of Effective Interdisciplinary Team Working
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Care is centred around the older service users, so holistic care is more likely to occur, and so service users’ needs are more likely to be met because there is a wide range of professionals with different specialisms working together to meet needs.
Eg… GP, Social Worker, Dietician, Occupational Therapist, Geriatrician, District Nurse, Care Assistant, Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapist, Pharmacist, Psychologist - As an older service user’s condition can change over time, the composition of the interdisciplinary team can change to reflect the changing physical needs of the service user, so other professionals can join the team quite easily. Team working makes it more likely that the involvement of other professionals is smooth and timely.
- Interdisciplinary team working makes it more likely that seamless care is achieved. This is particularly relevant where older service users are moving from being in hospital and then returning home or to residential care.
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Problems can be identified and dealt with and thus avoiding delays or mistakes which may be damaging for the older service user and prevents service users from
‘falling through the net’ and needs go unmet. - Older service users are very vulnerable and could easily be taken advantage of or abused as many find it difficult effectively due to their conditions. They are less likely to experience abuse, harm, discrimination or poor care as many professionals/carers are involved, so it is more likely to be identified.
- More efficient use of resources as it is less likely that care is duplicated by practitioners (each professional within the team is responsible for their own aspect of care) or that questions are not asked repetitively as this can cause distress and frustration for the older service user.
- Interdisciplinary team working enables the various health and social care professionals and workers to arrange necessary visits to the older service user so that they don’t coincide on the same day so confusing or bombarding the person with too many decisions or too much information. This could be very stressful and cause anxiety for an older person.
- Information can be passed on more easily leading to better communication and cooperation from health professionals, and therefore improved health outcomes are possible and enhanced satisfaction for service users leading to better quality care provision. Eg. leading to effective implementation of the care plan.
- The expertise of a range of professionals is likely to improve the quality of care an older service user receives. Each member of the interdisciplinary team will have defined roles and boundaries and will be clear what the roles of other team members are. This will prevent duplication and reduce possible confusion for an older person when delivering health and social care. This is important for older service users as they can find this overwhelming and confusing particularly if they have dementia.
- As all team members know their own roles and responsibilities there is enhanced job satisfaction for team members due to greater likelihood of delivery of quality care for the service user and so staff morale boosted.
- Regular interdisciplinary team meetings mean that information about the older service user can be passed on more easily e.g. service users notes will be shared at case discussions. This also means that services provided for the older service user can be co-ordinated better e.g. day care involves- transport, mobility, activities, dietary requirements involving various disciplines. From an operational point of view all team members are aware of progress and decisions meaning if sickness or annual leave happens, the service user’s care does not stop. There is continuity of care for the older service user.
The Benefits for an Older Service User of Effective IDT working
Holistic Care
Older service users receive holistic person-centred care from effective interdisciplinary team working. All aspects of the older service user’s needs will be recognised and met, e.g. their physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs as well as receiving the appropriate care and support to meet their numerous co- morbidities, e.g. diabetes, heart disease and arthritis etc.
Seamless Care
Effective interdisciplinary team working involving linking health and social care services together means that they provide a seamless service and continuity of care for an older person. Regular interdisciplinary communication and team meetings means that services provided for the older service user can be co-ordinated, preventing delays in provision and avoiding gaps in the older person’s care and support, ensuring quality care.
Co-ordinated Care
Effective interdisciplinary team working helps provide a more proactive, planned, focused and informed approach. All professionals and care workers are experts in their own fields; working in partnership with professionals from a range of health and social care services will mean that everyone can use their own skills and knowledge and not have to perform functions where they are less skilled. This will mean the older service user will receive coordinated care and they and their family will enjoy an enhanced experience of
service provision.
Prevents Duplication of Care
Effective interdisciplinary team working ensures each team member will have defined roles and boundaries and each will be clear and have knowledge of what the roles of other team
members are. The team will have joint meetings to share insights and concerns about the older service user. Furthermore, they may also have a shared record of all contacts, assessments and interventions of team members with an older service user and their family. This will prevent duplication and allows each professional to keep up to date with changes in the older service
user’s condition and needs enabling the older person to receive quality care. In addition, interdisciplinary team working (IDT) enables the various health and social care professionals to arrange necessary visits to the older service user so that they don’t coincide so confusing or bombarding the person with too many decisions or too much information. This prevents stress and anxiety for an older person.
Improved Health Outcomes
The expertise of a range of health and social care professionals in an Interdisciplinary team
(IDT) e.g., GP, social worker, occupational therapist etc. ensure the complex needs of an older service user are met and quality care provided. IDT working will also ensure that the older service user is involved in their care so that they will feel empowered, able to make choices and decisions and have some control over their care plan(autonomy). They will feel that their care is well managed and that they are being looked after and supported ensuring improved health outcomes.
Problems are identified and solved quickly
Effective interdisciplinary team working can ensure problems can be identified and addressed quickly avoiding delays or mistakes being made. Should the older person’s condition or circumstances change or deteriorate their care plan or care package can be modified promptly to meet their changing needs. This can help reduce hospital admissions, E&D attendance, readmission and length of stay in hospital, providing a more satisfactory outcome for the older
person.
Prevents older service users falling through the net
Effective interdisciplinary team working helps prevent older service users falling through the net. An older servicer user could miss out on opportunities or services if information is not shared. This is less likely to happen in an interdisciplinary team (IDT) as they meet frequently to discuss the older person’s care plan and needs and use other means of agreed communication, e.g., email. This will help to ensure the older service user receives co- ordinated services that meets their specific needs.
Team Composition
As an older service user’s condition can change over time, the composition of the interdisciplinary team can change to reflect the changing physical needs of the service user, so other professionals can join the team quite easily. Team working makes it more likely that the involvement of other professionals is smooth and timely.
Reduces the risk of neglect, harm, abuse, discrimination etc
Effective interdisciplinary team working means older service
users are at less risk of neglect, harm, abuse, discrimination etc. as many professionals/carers are involved in the older person’s
care. Any signs or symptoms of abuse etc. are more likely to be identified early and the perpetrator more readily identified enabling the IDT to safeguard and protect the older person from further abuse.
