The Team Approach in Person-centred Health Care: The Social Work Perspective

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Published: Apr 29, 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5750/ijpcm.v1i1.18

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Terry Bamford
International Federation of Social Workers Human Rights Committee

Abstract

Social workers bring to the multidisciplinary team skills in direct relationship work, experience of group work and an awareness of wider social factors affecting the patient. They have a particular role in working with relatives and carers to establish a network of support which is critical after discharge from hospital. If the traditional ambivalence of social work towards medicine and the medical model can be overcome social workers can improve the overall effectiveness of team functioning.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2011): April
Section
Third Geneva Conference on Person-Centered Medicine: The Team Approach
Author Biography

Terry Bamford, International Federation of Social Workers Human Rights Committee

After graduating in Law from University College, Oxford, Terry Bamford took a Diploma in Social Administration at the London School of Economics. He then undertook professional social work training before starting work as a probation officer. He worked in probation for eight years before moving to the British Association of Social Workers as Assistant General Secretary. Terry then worked in Harrow and served for two years as Chair of the British Association of Social Workers. He worked for six years as Director of Social Services in Northern Ireland. He was then for ten years Executive Director of Housing and Social Services in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Terry was awarded an OBE in 2000. He has a long record of involvement in international work serving as Secretary of the International Federation of Social Workers Human Rights Committee. He has written three books on social work –Managing Social Work (1982) Tavistock Publications; the Future of Social Work (1990) Macmillan; Commissioning and Purchasing (2001) Routledge and has written numerous articles.