Multi-Disciplinary Working Essay -- Management Work

This essay will aim to relate to an observation of professional social work practice in a Crisis Centre, for people with mental health issues who require support, and short-term accommodation, with the goal of returning home or to a new environment. This essay will focus upon the role of multi disciplinary collaboration regarding the Crisis Centre staff, and Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team (CRHTT), and to discuss why collaboration appears to play an important and fundamental role within social work practice. The essay will also aim to demonstrate good practice and possible strengths and weaknesses of multidisciplinary working. Within the field of social work practice it does seem evident that ‘multidisciplinary working is work undertaken jointly by workers and professionals from different disciplines or occupations’ (Pearson & Thomas, 2010:342) and has evolved at varying speeds over the past 30 years, in response to imperatives of central government. Evidence suggests that the area mental health was among the first professions to adopt teams of workers from different professions, and the Community Mental Health Team is widely regarded as the model for multidisciplinary working (Community Care, 2010). It seems that , in relation to social work, the distinctive quality that has to be demonstrated is anti discriminatory practice and a holistic approach, by working with a range of situations and people having an attribute for developing multidisciplinary and partnerships (Higham,2006:). The Crisis Centre that has been observed is run by a Local Council, and is a National Health Service Trust based in a local community. The centre also corresponds with the 1975 White Paper entitled ‘Better Services for Mentally Ill’... ...mparison to the Ward: A Service Evaluation of Amethyst House and Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team: Liverpool City Council and Mersey Care NHS Trust: Liverpool. Thompson, N. (2005) Understanding Social Work, 2nd Ed. Hampshire: Palgrave. Thompson, N. & Thompson, S. (2008) The Social Work Companion. Hampshire: Palgrave. Thompson, N. (2009) Practicing Social Work. Hampshire: Palgrave. SCIE Guide 23: The learning, teaching and assessment of partnership work in social work education www.scie.org.uk/ [accessed 6th November 2010]. Wilson, K. Ruch, G. Lymbery, M. & Cooper, A (2008) Social Work an Introduction to Contemporary Practice; Essex: Pearson. Whittington, C. (2003) ‘Collaboration and Partnership in Context’. In Weinstein, J., Whittington, C. and Leiba, T. (eds.) Collaboration in Social Work Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Ch.1.