Collaboration between health care and social care but without trained social workers! An implementation of multi-professional teams for coherent care of multi-ill older people

The lack of cooperation between welfare state organisations is a well-known problem of significance for the weakest groups in society. Difficulties with coordination, continuity, information transfer and collaboration between... [ view full abstract ]

The lack of cooperation between welfare state organisations is a well-known problem of significance for the weakest groups in society. Difficulties with coordination, continuity, information transfer and collaboration between professions are problems not only in Sweden. In order to mend the gap and improve the care for multi-ill older people a series of projects was applied in 19 counties financed by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. One of the ways that would solve the collaboration problems was the creation of multi-disciplinary teams. By following one of those projects focused on multi-professional work the implementation and effects were studied. Data consisted of event diaries, observations, focus groups, structured questionnaires to the elderly and interviews.
Findings showed that multi-professional teams certainly were established, but did not last. However without trained social workers, which is interesting as health care social workers with a holistic approach as the main hallmark usually represent the contact between the health care and social care for the elderly. Among the obstacles reported the various professions own organizations and territorial thinking were the most prominent. The elderly with multiple illnesses witnessed no increased cooperation between the municipal-based care and the county council based health care system. Despite considerable funding and staffing the elderly did not experience any improvement of the care they received. One question that remains for future studies is whether qualified social work could make a difference?