992 resultados para Helping relationship


Relevância:

100.00% 100.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

"Human service workers need more than just common sense. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to practice skills required across the human service sector. The authors use critical analysis to systematically outline the key stages of interaction with clients."--Libraries Australia "A thorough introduction to the core practice skills needed by social work and welfare professionals. Human service workers need more than just common sense. Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare offers a comprehensive introduction to practice skills required across the human service sector. The authors use critical analysis to systematically outline the key stages of interaction with clients: engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation. Drawing on a strengths approach, they examine the skills needed for working with different types of clients: individuals, families and community groups. They also explore the dilemmas faced in daily practice, including the challenges of working with involuntary clients, clients from different cultural backgrounds, and clients in crisis situations. Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare provides a model of integrated practice which incorporates the key components of ideology, theory, phase, skill and context. Detailed case studies demonstrate how welfare services can be delivered in different contexts. Written by experienced teachers and practitioners from Australia and New Zealand, Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare is a practical and user friendly text for students and reference for practitioners"--Publisher website

Relevância:

100.00% 100.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

"Fully revised edition of this widely used introduction to the core practice skills needed by social work and other human service professionals. 'The main strength of the book is the consistency of its themes throughout the text.I would like to commend the editors of this book for the contribution it should make to practice teaching with social work and welfare' - Karen Heycox in Australian Social Work Human service workers need more than just common sense. Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare offers a comprehensive introduction to practice skills required across the human service sector. The authors use critical analysis to systematically outline the key stages of interaction with clients: engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation. Drawing on a strengths approach, they examine the skills needed for working with different types of clients: individuals, families and community groups. They also explore the dilemmas faced in daily practice, including the challenges of working with involuntary clients, clients from different cultural backgrounds, and clients in crisis situations. Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare provides a model of integrated practice which incorporates the key components of ideology, theory, phase, skill and context. Detailed case studies demonstrate how welfare services can be delivered in different contexts. This second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and includes new material on online services and strengths-based practice. Written by experienced teachers and practitioners from Australia and New Zealand, Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare is a practical and user friendly text for students and reference for practitioners."--Publisher website

Relevância:

70.00% 70.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

What makes helping relationships - or social interventions in general - so sensitive to abuse? These problems are directly related to the nature of the helping relationship. The core of this relationship is the inequality, the asymmetry, between the helper and the person being helped, and the dependence of the latter. Asymmetry is the driving force behind every social intervention and at the same time its weakest point. Handling asymmetry in an appropriate manner constitutes a major part of the work of the intervening party. This asymmetry makes heavy demands on the professional attitude of the intervening party i.e. the helper. Is s/he capable of dealing with dependence in an acceptable way? Is s/he well-versed in her/his profession? This article contains a comprehensive sketch of many of the possible dangers and pitfalls which beset asymmetric intervention relations. At the end it will be argued that, for a better understanding, the proximity of helping and power has to be taken into account.

Relevância:

70.00% 70.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

This study examined personal/interpersonal antecedents of leader-member exchange (LMX) and why and how LMX is related to the helping and voice dimensions of citizenship behavior. The results indicate that: (i) proactive personality and supervisor trust in employee were significant antecedents of LMX; (ii) the psychological empowerment dimension of autonomy partially mediated the LMX-helping relationship whereas the LMX-voice relationship was fully mediated the by autonomy and impact dimensions of psychological empowerment; and (iii) organization-based self-esteem more strongly moderated the LMX-helping relationship relative to the LMX-voice relationship.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Este ensino clínico permitiu-nos prestar cuidados de enfermagem especializados a 16 homens com esquizofrenia em processo de reabilitação psicossocial. Na sua maioria são: adultos, solteiros, da região sul de Portugal, com uma média de 9 anos de escolaridade, com história de consumo de substâncias (álcool, tabaco, haxixe, cocaína, heroína e anfetaminas), institucionalizados na Casa de Saúde do Telhal (CST) há mais de 11 anos. Todos apresentam diagnósticos de enfermagem das várias dimensões do adoecer, com exceção da dimensão comportamental excitatória, sendo os de maior prevalência: “Conhecimento sobre Processo de doença/Cuidados na doença/Tratamento, Não Demonstrado”; Cognição, Comprometida”; “Processo Social, Alterado”; “Autoestima, Diminuída”. Foram desenvolvidos 4 programas de intervenção: consulta de enfermagem de saúde mental e psiquiatria (CESMP); atelier de estimulação cognitiva (AEC); programa de desenvolvimento de competência intrapessoais, interpessoais e profissionais (PDCIIP); programa de psicoeducação (SABER+). A satisfação global com os programas foi superior a 7 (numa escala de 1 a 10) e os resultados que foram percebidos pela maioria dos reabilitandos situaram-se acima das suas expectativas iniciais. De uma forma geral, todos registaram ganhos: no desempenho cognitivo (em particular os que beneficiaram do AEC); na adaptação psicossocial – nomeadamente ao nível do insight; os reabilitandos que beneficiaram do programa SABER+ melhoraram ainda os comportamentos demonstrados de aceitação do estado de saúde; no bem-estar psicológico – nomeadamente ao nível da autoestima (sobretudo os que beneficiaram da CESMP e/ou do PDCIIP), dos afetos positivos e dos comportamentos de motivação; nos vários domínios da qualidade de vida (QdV) medidos pelo WHOQOL-Bref em particular o domínio ambiental; todos elevaram o seu nível de conhecimentos nos 3 eixos em que que se estruturou o programa de psicoeducação (processo da doença, cuidados na doença, tratamento da doença); na adesão à medicação, sobretudo os que integraram o programa de psicoeducação, contudo todos tendem a necessitar de ajuda parcial para conseguir demonstrar conhecimento no cumprimento do esquema terapêutico e estão envolvidos em treinos supervisionados de preparação e autoadministração; ABSTRACT: This clinical training allowed us to provide skilled nursing care to 16 men with schizophrenia in a psychosocial rehabilitation setting. Most of these individuals are: adults, singles, from the southern region of Portugal, with an average of 9 years of schooling, with a history of substance abuse (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines), institutionalized in Casa de Saúde do Telhal (CST) for over 11 years. We find nursing diagnoses from all of the disease dimensions with the exception of excitatory behavioral dimension, being the most prevalent: "knowledge about disease process / care / treatment, not stated"; cognition, impaired", "social process, impaired”, “self-esteem, decreased". We developed 4 intervention programs: psychiatry and mental health nursing consultation (CESMP); atelier of cognitive stimulation (AEC); intrapersonal, interpersonal and professional competences training (PDCIIP); psychoeducation (SABER+). The overall satisfaction with the programs was above 7 (on a scale of 1 to 10) and the results noticed by most patients were above their initial expectations. All registered nursing results were: in cognitive performance (particularly those who benefited from the AEC); in psychosocial adaptation - especially in terms of insight; patients who benefited from the SABER+ program demonstrated improved further acceptance of their health condition, psychological well-being, particularly in terms of self-esteem (especially those who benefited from the CESMP and/or the PDCIIP), positive affects and motivation; in the different domains of quality of life (QoL) measured by WHOQOL-Bref in particular the environmental domain; every patients raised their level of knowledge in the 3 axes in which the psychoeducational program (SABER+) was structured (disease process, care and treatment); in medication adherence, especially those who benefited of the psychoeducational program, however all the patients tend to need partial help to demonstrate knowledge in meeting the therapeutic regimen and are involved in supervised training programs for preparation and self administration.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Apesar de haver diferenças de indivíduo para indivíduo, todas as pessoas se encontram num processo de envelhecimento, que se pretende que seja ativo e saudável. Porém, à medida que nos aproximamos da velhice, e por inúmeros fatores, a probabilidade da pessoa se sentir só, de ter sentimentos como a solidão, de estar isolada ou socialmente excluída, aumenta. Este relatório surge de um projeto desenhado e desenvolvido com pessoas que se sentiam sozinhas, sendo pessoas idosas ou com deficiência, e que, por esse motivo, foram encaminhadas para apoio domiciliário. Pretendeu-se assim colmatar algumas das necessidades quotidianas dessas pessoas, sendo relevante entender se esse apoio contribuiu para melhorar a qualidade de vida, evitar ou diminuir os momentos e sentimentos de solidão, através da (re)ativação de redes de apoio. O projeto “Desatando os nós da solidão com laços de afeto” foi, na medida das suas possibilidades, desenhado e desenvolvido com os participantes. Este projeto ramificou-se em três subprojetos, correspondendo cada um, de forma mais específica, às necessidades e aos problemas que cada pessoa sentia, tentando contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade de vida, recorrendo às potencialidades de cada um e aos recursos existentes na comunidade. É um projeto que terá continuidade, pois envolveu voluntários e técnicos da instituição e pessoas das redes de apoio mais próximas dos participantes, mas que já proporcionou algumas mudanças, sendo esse um ponto de partida para alcançar a utopia orientadora do projeto.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

La consommation des jeunes placés dans les centres jeunesse du Québec est bien documentée, mais leurs motivations à consommer, à changer ou à parler de leur consommation avec un intervenant demeurent inconnues. Par ailleurs, très peu de chercheurs se sont intéressés aux particularités du processus de changement à l’adolescence et encore moins à ce processus dans un contexte d’autorité. Pour ces raisons, la présente recherche donne la parole aux jeunes afin de mieux comprendre leur usage de substances psychoactives, leur désir éventuel de réduire ou d’arrêter leur consommation, leur ouverture à réfléchir ou à discuter de leur consommation et leur ouverture envers les interventions disponibles. Basés sur une collecte de données qualitatives composée de 27 entrevues avec les jeunes hébergés au Centre jeunesse de Montréal et de huit mois d’observations participantes dans les unités de vie, les résultats indiquent que la majorité des adolescents interviewés disent consommer diverses substances psychoactives pour lesquelles ils identifient différentes sources de motivation, autant à consommer qu’à changer leur consommation. De plus, ces sources de motivation identifiées sont plus ou moins associées au contexte d’autorité dans lequel les jeunes sont placés. Ainsi, si certains jeunes estiment que la possibilité de changement est facilitée par l’environnement contrôlé du Centre jeunesse, pour d’autres, les contraintes de ce milieu de vie ne semblent pas avoir d’impact sur leur motivation. Par ailleurs, les jeunes démontrent différents degrés d’ouverture envers les interventions disponibles et envers les éducateurs qui les côtoient. En général, les approches compréhensives et moins autoritaires semblent encourager un certain investissement de la relation entre jeunes et éducateurs et peuvent potentiellement faciliter l’établissement d’une relation d’aide et le changement de comportement. En utilisant le cadre théorique proposé, une combinaison du Modèle transthéortique du changement et de la Théorie de l’auto-détermination, il apparaît limité de considérer les jeunes en difficulté comme étant motivés ou non motivés à changer leur consommation. Les analyses démontrent que les perceptions de la nécessité ou des possibilités d’amorcer un processus de changement varient beaucoup d’un jeune à l’autre. Ainsi, l’approche choisie pour intervenir auprès des jeunes en difficulté devrait prendre en considération les nuances et la dynamique des motivations afin de mieux adapter les services offerts et de mieux comprendre les raisons associées au succès et à l’échec de certaines interventions et intervenants vis-à-vis de certains adolescents. En outre, afin de favoriser une perception positive du « placement » et pour que les jeunes le voient comme une « opportunité de changement », il apparaît important d’examiner la fréquence et l’intensité des interventions contraignantes appliquées dans les centres de réadaptation. Finalement, il importe de mentionner que les conclusions de cette étude exploratoire ne permettent d’établir des relations causales entre l’approche choisie par l’intervenant, la motivation à changer et l’ouverture des jeunes. Cependant, les données obtenues permettent d’analyser en profondeur les représentations que les jeunes ont des relations entre ces trois éléments.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

La littérature scientifique s’intéressant aux adolescents agresseurs sexuels démontre qu’il s’agit d’une population qui apparait souvent résistante au changement (Rich, 2003). Il importe ainsi d’identifier les facteurs qui favorisent ou compromettent le déroulement de l’intervention auprès de cette clientèle. L’alliance thérapeutique et la motivation au changement figurent d’ailleurs parmi ces facteurs ayant démontré leur influence positive. Toutefois, considérant le caractère dynamique de ces dernières, peu d’études ont documenté les particularités de leur développement respectif, spécialement dans un contexte d’autorité tel que celui des adolescents agresseurs sexuels. La présente recherche permet donc de mieux comprendre la contribution de caractéristiques individuelles et environnementales sur le développement de l’alliance thérapeutique et le processus de changement chez cette clientèle juvénile. Basés sur une collecte de données quantitatives auprès de 166 adolescents agresseurs sexuels suivis dans différents centres de traitement spécialisés en délinquance sexuelle au Québec, les résultats obtenus à partir d’analyses corrélationnelles et multivariées illustrent de nombreuses relations significatives entre un ensemble de caractéristiques individuelles et environnementales et le développement de l’alliance thérapeutique et de la motivation au changement. En effet, différents traits de personnalité, les distorsions cognitives, les habiletés sociales, la détresse post-traumatique et les stratégies de coping sont plus ou moins associés à l’établissement d’une relation d’aide et d’une motivation à changer de comportement. De plus, les caractéristiques de l’environnement institutionnel et la perception du soutien social reçu se veulent des facteurs qui influencent généralement de façon positive les variables à l’étude. L’utilisation du Modèle transthéorique du changement permet de nuancer les résultats en ce sens que les facteurs explicatifs de la motivation peuvent différer d’une étape à l’autre dans le cycle du changement. Ainsi, les services offerts aux adolescents ayant commis une agression sexuelle doivent tenir compte du degré de motivation puisque celui-ci semble être associé à des caractéristiques individuelles et environnementales spécifiques. Finalement, il est important de mentionner que les conclusions de cette étude ne permettent pas d’établir des relations causales entre les variables à l’étude. Néanmoins, les résultats indiquent l’importance de porter attention aux facteurs de changement, qui peuvent différer d’une étape à l’autre dans le cycle du changement, et ceux associés au développement de l’alliance thérapeutique.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Empathy is a basic facilitating element of the therapeutic helping relationship and the humanization process in health care. The objectives of this study were to identify the empathy level of health professionals working in the obstetrical sector of a university hospital recognized for its humanistic care and the perceptions of the women under their care regarding the empathic behavior shown by these professionals during hospitalization. We conducted a quanti/qualitative study with 47 health professionals that worked in the obstetrical sector (13 obstetricians, 12 nurses, 22 nurse technicians) and an intentional sample of 101 women that received cared from these professionals during the study period. We collected data by means of the Jefferson Empathy Scale for Health Professioals (JEPS-HR) and the Patient´s Perception of Health Professional Empathy (PPHPE), and two additional open questions designed to obtain the subjective opinion about the empathic behavior during the care. We utilized thematic analysis for the data obtained through the open questions and descriptive and inferential statistics for the quantitative data. We identified five thematic categories that represent the aspects valued by the professionals in their relationship with the women under their care: emotional involvement, communication, warm environment, integral vision and technical/scientific knowledge. The mean score on the JEPS-HR reported for the health professionals was 120,40, being that the maximum possible was 140.The Cronbach Alpha for the JEPS-HR was 0,83, indicating an acceptable level of reliability for this population. We consider therefore, that these professionals presented an acceptable empathy level when compared to other populations observed with the JEPS-HR. The results also indicated that women had statistically significant (p ≤ 0,05) higher scores than men and that professionals with higher working hours tended to have lower scores in the empathy scale (r = -0,288; p ≤ 0,05). The analysis of the subjective responses of the women indicated that they were satisfied with the humanistic care provided by the professionals but they also point out the existence of some power relationships. There were no significant differences in the empathy level of the medical or nursing team perceived by the women who registered means of 41,90 and 41,20 respectively on the PPHPE. In view of these results and considering the relevance of the element of empathy for care based on humanistic values, we reiterate the importance of further in-service training for the health team of the hospital in focus, on the topics of empathy and global aspects of humanized care for the implementation of its mission

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Enquadramento: Apesar da visita de enfermagem ou passagem de turno junto dos doentes garantir a continuidade dos cuidados de enfermagem, origina diversas questões éticas. Objetivos: Traduzir, adaptar e validar 2 questionários de colheita de dados sobre a visita de enfermagem em unidades cirúrgicas para a cultura portuguesa; identificar a opinião dos doentes e dos enfermeiros sobre a visita de enfermagem. Metodologia: Tradução, retroversão e adaptação dos questionários aplicados em 7 unidades cirúrgicas de um hospital central em Portugal de 22/08/2008 a 28/06/2009. A amostragem não probabilística acidental foi constituída por 137 enfermeiros e 96 doentes. Resultados: A visita de enfermagem promove a relação empática e de ajuda; a observação do doente e o planeamento de cuidados, no entanto é necessário clarificar o seu objetivo; incentivar à participação e ao envolvimento dos doentes; utilizar um discurso compreensível e garantir a privacidade da informação. Conclusão: Os questionários revelaram-se fidedignos e válidos na identificação das opiniões dos doentes e dos enfermeiros sobre a visita de enfermagem nas unidades de cirurgia em estudo.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Enquadramento: Apesar da visita de enfermagem ou passagem de turno junto dos doentes garantir a continuidade dos cuidados de enfermagem, origina diversas questões éticas. Objetivos: Traduzir, adaptar e validar 2 questionários de colheita de dados sobre a visita de enfermagem em unidades cirúrgicas para a cultura portuguesa; identificar a opinião dos doentes e dos enfermeiros sobre a visita de enfermagem. Metodologia: Tradução, retroversão e adaptação dos questionários aplicados em 7 unidades cirúrgicas de um hospital central em Portugal de 22/08/2008 a 28/06/2009. A amostragem não probabilística acidental foi constituída por 137 enfermeiros e 96 doentes. Resultados: A visita de enfermagem promove a relação empática e de ajuda; a observação do doente e o planeamento de cuidados, no entanto é necessário clarificar o seu objetivo; incentivar à participação e ao envolvimento dos doentes; utilizar um discurso compreensível e garantir a privacidade da informação. Conclusão: Os questionários revelaram-se fidedignos e válidos na identificação das opiniões dos doentes e dos enfermeiros sobre a visita de enfermagem nas unidades de cirurgia em estudo.Background: Although bedside nursing handover ensures the continuity of nursing care, it raises several ethical issues. Objectives: To translate, adapt and validate 2 data collection questionnaires about bedside nursing handover in surgical units into Portuguese, and identify the patients and nurses’ opinions about bedside nursing handover. Methodology: Translation, back-translation and adaptation of the questionnaires in 7 surgical units of a central hospital in Portugal between 22/08/2008 and 28/06/2009. The non- -probability sampling consisted of 137 nurses and 96 patients. Results: Bedside nursing handover promotes an empathic and helping relationship, patient observation and care planning; however, it is necessary to clarify its purpose, encourage patient participation and engagement, use clear information, and ensure information privacy. Conclusion: The questionnaires proved to be reliable and valid to identify the patients and nurses’ opinions about bedside nursing handover in the surgical units under analysis.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Enquadramento: Apesar da visita de enfermagem ou passagem de turno junto dos doentes garantir a continuidade dos cuidados de enfermagem, origina diversas questões éticas. Objetivos: Traduzir, adaptar e validar 2 questionários de colheita de dados sobre a visita de enfermagem em unidades cirúrgicas para a cultura portuguesa; identificar a opinião dos doentes e dos enfermeiros sobre a visita de enfermagem. Metodologia: Tradução, retroversão e adaptação dos questionários aplicados em 7 unidades cirúrgicas de um hospital central em Portugal de 22/08/2008 a 28/06/2009. A amostragem não probabilística acidental foi constituída por 137 enfermeiros e 96 doentes. Resultados: A visita de enfermagem promove a relação empática e de ajuda; a observação do doente e o planeamento de cuidados, no entanto é necessário clarificar o seu objetivo; incentivar à participação e ao envolvimento dos doentes; utilizar um discurso compreensível e garantir a privacidade da informação. Conclusão: Os questionários revelaram-se fidedignos e válidos na identificação das opiniões dos doentes e dos enfermeiros sobre a visita de enfermagem nas unidades de cirurgia em estudo.Background: Although bedside nursing handover ensures the continuity of nursing care, it raises several ethical issues. Objectives: To translate, adapt and validate 2 data collection questionnaires about bedside nursing handover in surgical units into Portuguese, and identify the patients and nurses’ opinions about bedside nursing handover. Methodology: Translation, back-translation and adaptation of the questionnaires in 7 surgical units of a central hospital in Portugal between 22/08/2008 and 28/06/2009. The non- -probability sampling consisted of 137 nurses and 96 patients. Results: Bedside nursing handover promotes an empathic and helping relationship, patient observation and care planning; however, it is necessary to clarify its purpose, encourage patient participation and engagement, use clear information, and ensure information privacy. Conclusion: The questionnaires proved to be reliable and valid to identify the patients and nurses’ opinions about bedside nursing handover in the surgical units under analysis.

Relevância:

60.00% 60.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Neste estudo, parte-se dos discursos dos educadores sociais, produzidos no grupo de discussão, para se conhecer as suas representações face à relação de ajuda que desenvolvem com as populações. Problematizou-se o conceito, analisaram-se os discursos buscando os paradigmas que orientam as intervenções, as definições de relação de ajuda, os seus objectivos, e o perfil dos educadores sociais que desenvolvem esta modalidade de intervenção. As conclusões apontam para a necessidade de a reflexão acompanhar a acção do educador social; para a coexistência de diferentes concepções sobre a relação de ajuda, variando de acordo com as orientações paradigmáticas do educador, a sua própria experiência profissional, o eu perfil pessoal e profissional. Surge reforçada a ideia de que é na relação teoria-prática que se vão configurando as práticas de intervenção, adequando-as aos sujeitos com quem se desenvolvem e activando processos internos, ao nível das capacidades e competências, pessoais e interpessoais, dos educadores sociais. /ABSTRACT: The starting point in this study is the social educators' speeches produced in the discussion group, to let us know how they view the helping relationship they develop with the populations. The concept was held as a problem needing clarification, and the speeches were analysed with a view to making understandable the paradigms, the objectives and the definitions of the helping relationship that guide their interventions; the profiles of the professionals in the group that develop this modality of intervention were also analysed. The conclusions point to the need of reflection going along with the social educator's acting. They also point to the presence in the group of different conceptions of the helping relationship, varying with the educator's paradigmatic orientation, her/his own professional experience, her/his personal and professional profile. One strong idea emerges: the intervention practices get their configuration in the relation theory-practice, in the process of making them adequate to the subjects with whom they are developed, and also because they activate the social educators' internal processes, at the level of capacities and competences, both personal and interpersonal.

Relevância:

30.00% 30.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

This paper examines the role of first aid training in increasing adolescent helping behaviours when taught in a school-based injury prevention program, Skills for Preventing Injury in Youth (SPIY). The research involved the development and application of an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), including “behavioural willingness in a fight situation,” “first aid knowledge” and “perceptions of injury seriousness”, to predict the relationship between participation in SPIY and helping behaviours when a friend is injured in a fight. From 35 Queensland high schools, 2500 Year 9 students (mean age = 13.5, 40% male) completed surveys measuring their attitudes, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms and behavioural intention, from the TPB, and added measures of behavioural willingness in a fight situation, perceptions of injury seriousness and first aid knowledge, to predict helping behaviours when a friend is injured in a fight. It is expected that the TPB will significantly contribute to understanding the relationship between participation in SPIY and helping behaviours when a friend is injured in a fight. Further analyses will determine whether the extension of the model significantly increases the variance explained in helping behaviours. The findings of this research will provide insight into the critical factors that may increase adolescent bystanders’ actions in injury situations.

Relevância:

30.00% 30.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

The book examines the relationship between welfare and health and includes discussion of key policy issues such as; changes in health care delivery, regulation of professionals, privatisation, welfare pluralism and the tackling of health and social inequalities. The significance of social policy in preventing ill health and disability, as well as supporting the sick and disabled people, is emphasised throughout the book.