Social work in a health centre

Area of Science:

• Social Work
• Psychiatry
• General Practice

Background:

• Social workers have been embedded within a health center in Croydon, Surrey for six years.
• This initiative stems from the General Practice Research Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the pattern of relationships that has developed between social workers and the health center staff.
• To analyze the dynamics of this interdisciplinary collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative description of the relationship patterns.
• Observation and analysis of social worker integration within a general practice setting.

Main Results:

• A distinct pattern of relationships has emerged over the six-year period.
• The integration facilitated a unique collaborative dynamic between social work and primary care.

Conclusions:

• The long-term attachment of social workers to a health center fosters specific and evolving relationship dynamics.
• This model highlights the potential for successful social work integration within primary care settings.