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Placements and PQ – GSCC reports on Social Work Education

Community Care carries details from the GSCC (General Social Care Council) annual report on social work education in England and it shows a fall in the amount of social work placements provided by local authorities. This came as absolutely no …...

Published 19 Jan 2011 6:09 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, politics, health, local government, approved mental health professional, personal, General Social Care Council, AMHP
Rising Admission Rates

Yesterday, via Twitter, I was alerted to the publication of the ‘Mental Health Bulletin – Fourth Report from Mental Health Minimum Dataset (MHMD) returns 2010’. I know it’s a bit of a mouthful but briefly, it means statistics about admission, …...

Published 12 Jan 2011 6:06 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, ASW, mental health, MCA, discrimination, old age, politics, elderly, health, mental health act assessment, Mental disorder, England, personal, AMHP, Best Interests Assessor, mental health act 2007, mental health statistics
10 things learnt in 10 years as a Social Worker

I qualified as a social worker in 2000. I don’t remember the exact date I started my first ‘qualified’ post. It was sometime in the early summer I think - in those days before registration was required and all I … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 30 Oct 2010 6:40 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, ASW, mental health, discrimination, local authority, old age, government, politics, uk, health, local government, Employment, approved mental health professional, personal, AMHP
To Section – as a verb

Is ‘to section’ a verb we should be using? My understanding and instruction was always that we should try, if at all possible, not to refer to ‘sectioning’ someone. It seems a bit flippant. It seems to imply a decision … Continue reading →...

Published 28 Sep 2010 6:06 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, uk, health, mental health act, sectioning, personal, AMHP, nearest relative, to section someone
Into the Night

Image via Wikipedia Although the nature of AMHP work is that it will be crisis-orientated, I have found that assessments are usually planned to some extent. Last week, we received a referral to our team at about 3.30pm. For reasons that smack of ageism...

Published 8 Feb 2010 7:12 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, carers, ASW, mental health, old age, elderly, london, long-term care, health, carer, hospital, social worker, mental health act 1983, approved mental health professional, Add new tag, personal, AMHP, Ambulance
Looking Back – 2009

I was wondering how to finish the year off and mark it. So I looked at last year’s posts for inspiration to see how I marked the end of the last year. I ran a couple of posts – one looking back on the year in my first ‘proper’ year of blogging and another...

Published 31 Dec 2009 6:43 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, old age, personal, AMHP, social work taskforce, dols, new horizons, 2009, looking back, asw to amhp, blogging review, in review
A day in the life.. of Approved Mental Health Professionals

Today, Deborah Orr in the Guardian has an article published today detailing a day out that she has spent with some AMHPs in the Camden Duty Office. It’s an interesting insight into the day to day work in their office and certainly worth a glance to understand...

Published 9 Dec 2009 6:39 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, mental health act, personal, the guardian, AMHP, deborah orr, approved mental health professionals
The Importance of Information

I looked through my ‘draft’ folder this morning and for some reason, found each of my previously written posts (there are probably around 20 of them knocking around in various stages of the ‘gestation’ process) unsatisfactory. Some were just too detailed...

Published 30 Nov 2009 6:45 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, ASW, mental health, social services, mental health act, AMHP, foster child, fostering, Foster care, information, lack of information, foster carer
Of CTOs

Community Treatment Orders – Supervised Community Treatment – however it is termed it is one of the aspects of the amended Mental Health Act that I thought I would likely not have significant contact with on a day to day basis. I was right. But my experience...

Published 5 Nov 2009 6:49 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, medication, ASW, mental health, uk, health, mental health act, mental health act 1983, England, personal, mental health act 2007 amendments, AMHP, growth in ctos, cto, supervised community treatment, community treatment order, care in the community, pink forms
At Court

One of the duties of my role is to make applications at the local magistrate’s court for warrants when they are necessary. A warrant is only necessary in the course of a Mental Health Act Assessment if we need to gain access to a property where we would...

Published 13 Oct 2009 6:52 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, court, personal, AMHP, magistrate's court, warrant, in court
A Gentle Man

I had arranged an assessment on the ward this week. I was assessing a man I had known for a few months in my capacity as his care co-ordinator. He has been on the ward under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act (for assessment – up to 28 days) for a few...

Published 7 Aug 2009 6:54 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, older people, work, ASW, mental health, old age, elderly, health, hospital, sectioning, psychiatric hospital, mental health act assessment, social worker, section 2, ward, AMHP, section 3, to section, compulsory detention in hospital
Ginger

My duty as an AMHP (Approved Mental Health Professional) is fundamentally to co-ordinate and carry out assessments according to the Mental Health Act (1983 – as amended 2007). So in the case of a community assessment, I will request the doctor’s attendance...

Published 28 May 2009 6:15 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, health, animals, mental health act, hospital, approved social worker, mental health act 1983, cat, national assistance act, approved mental health professional, AMHP, pets, animal warden, cat trap, mha 1983, national assistance act 1948, national assistance act section 48, s48
A Course

Last week I went on a training course. As an AMHP I am obliged to complete 3 (I think!) training days every year which specifically relate to my role as an Approved Mental Health Professional in order to maintain my warrant. So it was that last week there...

Published 19 May 2009 7:49 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, training, mental health, health, mental health act, mental health act assessment, mental health act 1983, approved mental health professional, AMHP, Law, Case law, edt, legal training, emergency duty team, in-house training
An Assessment

I mentioned in passing that I was out at an early morning assessment earlier in the week. I wanted to reflect on some of the issues that arose without mentioning too much of the detail. It was the second attempt to assess as the first visit, Mr A had...

Published 27 Mar 2009 6:20 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, older people, work, ASW, mental health, old age, elderly, assessment, health, hospital, mental health act assessment, work-related stress, General practitioner, AMHP, Psychiatrist
Training, Universities and the CWDC

Community Care have an article on their website today about CWDC (Children’s Workforce Development Council) and their submission to the Social Work Taskforce which is considering the future of the Social Work profession following an interview published...

Published 23 Mar 2009 6:30 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, ASW, local authority, social policy, social justice, health, university, Ed Balls, social work taskforce, social work training, training social workers, mike leadbetter, education in social work, cwdc
Compulsion

The big difference between the work I am doing now and the work I was doing 18 months ago is the role that compulsion plays in my day to day work. A couple of weeks ago, a nursing student came up to our office - her placement is on the attached ward and...

Published 11 Mar 2009 5:30 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, ASW, mental health, MCA, old age, elderly, london, uk, health, mental health act, social worker, mental health act 1983, mental capacity act, Mental Capacity Act 2005, personal, AMHP, mental health act 2007
On Call

As I’ve alluded to and outright said on various occasions, myself and a colleague are running a kind of rota for AMHP work between us. Seeing as the Trust we work in feels that it is more appropriate that those who work in specialist teams (of which...

Published 23 Feb 2009 6:40 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, social issues, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, london, management, AMHP, work grumbles
Guardianship - A Case Study

I have been working on another Guardianship application. It is an interesting scenario. I thought I would present a scenario based on some of the issues in the form of a fictional case study. I have been liberal with the actual details which have been...

Published 17 Feb 2009 6:41 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, dementia, work, carers, ASW, mental health, MCA, old age, elderly, long-term care, health, carer, mental health act, hospital, Guardianship, AMHP, section 7, using guardianship, section 8, case study guardianship
Oath or Affirmation?

I have to say my beliefs or lack of them have no great impact on my daily life. I suppose they would if I were particularly religious but I’d probably place myself as comfortably agnostic with enough doubts to veer intermittently towards atheism...

Published 13 Feb 2009 6:18 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, uk, court, Religion and Spirituality, England and Wales, AMHP, Religion, Oath, Religious belief, Agnosticism, magistrate's court, section 135(1), warrant, affirmation, Belief
Bed Blocking

I hate the term ‘bed blocking’ but it’s something that came up a lot when I was working in the Adult Community team. It seems to imply some kind of intent or purposeful wish to disrupt the smooth-running (or not) of hospitals. The term...

Published 15 Jan 2009 4:51 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, old age, elderly, health, mental health act, hospital, psychiatric hospital, Medicine, delayed discharge, community care (delayed discharge) act 2003, bed blocking, AMHP
Looking Forward

So after possibly a little too much reflection, today I’ll just going to look at what I think will be some of the my main themes for the next year, both personal and professional. In April, the next parts of the next Mental Health legislation roll...

Published 31 Dec 2008 5:55 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, ASW, mental health, old age, Trade union, personal, British Association of Social Workers, AMHP, basw, Best Interests Assessments
Looking Back - A Professional View

There are a few general themes that have preoccupied me over the last year. Probably most significantly, has been the change in the Mental Health Act. Although there aren’t actually many of the substantial changes that were initially planned, there...

Published 30 Dec 2008 6:37 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: residential care, social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, ASW, mental health, MCA, old age, elderly, long-term care, mental health act, Southern Cross Healthcare Group, mental capacity act, personal, change, AMHP, responsible clinician
Making the call

The most difficult decisions that I am faced with, and it hasn’t happened frequently, is when I am carrying out a Mental Health Act Assessment and have two signed medical recommendations in my hand and have to make a decision whether to admit or...

Published 16 Dec 2008 7:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, older people, dementia, work, ASW, mental health, old age, elderly, long-term care, uk, health, hospital, Home Care, mental health act 1983, decision-making, AMHP, care planning
Death of the ASW

I left work yesterday as an Approved Social Worker (ASW) and by the time I go to work on Monday, I will be an Approved Mental Health Professional (AHMP). I signed my last papers and completed the last assessment at precisely 5.18pm (yes, I checked!) on...

Published 1 Nov 2008 4:40 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, uk, health, nhs, mental health act, gscc., approved social worker, approved mental health professional, General Social Care Council
Assessment for Guardianship

I mentioned a Guardianship application I had in the works a few weeks ago. Nothing happens quickly around here at the moment with changes in the teams being imminent and what with trying to co-ordinate attendees, I finally managed the Guardianship application...

Published 28 Oct 2008 6:23 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, ASW, mental health, elderly, long-term care, assessment, health, mental health act, mental health act 1983, Mental disorder, Guardianship, social work assessment
Revisiting

I have been in my current team for a couple of years. I worked in the same local authority before that though for about three years. The geographical boundaries of the areas that I work in don’t strictly overlap so I haven’t had it happen...

Published 8 Oct 2008 6:15 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, ASW, mental health, old age, elderly, health, hospital, psychiatric hospital, vascular dementia, approved social worker, mental health act 1983, Mental disorder, sectioned
On the ward

Image via Wikipedia I knew it wasn’t going to be a quiet day when I found a pink paper with a written recommendation for a Section 3 from one of our doctors sitting on my desk next to the ASW Duty Book - a book in which we note any Mental Health...

Published 12 Sep 2008 7:01 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, ASW, mental health, old age, uk, assessment, health care, health, United Kingdom, hospital, mental health act 1983, paranoia, ward, psychosis
Guardianship - What hope for the Mental Capacity Act?

So yesterday, I had found some of the reasons that the Mental Health Act could be used to apply for Guardianship in considering A. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) is fairly new ground - well, over a year now(don’t be fooled by that 2005 thing!) but...

Published 2 Sep 2008 6:13 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, MCA, local authority, health care, mental health act, mental health act 1983, mental capacity act, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Guardianship, five principles, Court of Protection
Guardianship - or a journey into Section 7 of the Mental Health Act

I was called into one of the CMHT (Community Mental Health Team) meetings last week. It was a bit of a surprise. We don’t tend to go into other peoples’ meetings. It is almost like entering an alternate universe. People have the same roles...

Published 1 Sep 2008 6:25 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, older people, work, ASW, mental health, MCA, old age, elderly, uk, health, mental health act, approved social worker, mental health act 1983, mental capacity act, Mental disorder, Mental Capacity Act 2005, approved mental health professional, Guardianship
Appraisal

I had my annual appraisal last week. I wavered about whether to write about it or not. Not for any reasons of confidentiality - because honestly, I would happily have had anyone who stumbles across this site sit in with me and they wouldn’t have...

Published 2 Aug 2008 7:00 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, local authority, uk, United Kingdom, local government, boredom, appraisal, bored
Approval

Yesterday, I received confirmation of the ‘approval’ part of my new role as an ‘approved social worker’ (ASW). After completing the designated additional specialist mental health training a couple of months back and having spent...

Published 10 Jul 2008 4:57 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, uk, health, approved social worker, mental health act 1983
With or Without Your Consent

Last week was quite a difficult one for me, work-wise. I’ve already mentioned a couple of the Mental Health Act Assessments I did a few days ago. There was another one yesterday and it was the most troubling I have been party to. At the moment,...

Published 21 Jun 2008 5:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, uk, assessment, health, hospital, sectioning, psychiatric hospital, approved social work, mental health act assessment
On Assessments

This week I completed two Mental Health Act Assessments (not on my own, of course, I’m still not warranted!). So I probably don’t need to elaborate on the fact that it’s been quite busy. Just a few aspects as I saw them. I spoke to one...

Published 19 Jun 2008 4:01 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, ASW, mental health, uk, assessment, mental health act, hospital, sectioning
Who’d be a Social Worker?

Yesterday, I met a old friend for lunch. She is also a social worker - in fact, she was the person who persuaded me to do the MA in the first place. We don’t meet as often as we probably should (work, distance, children) but it’s always a...

Published 2 Jun 2008 6:52 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, ASW, mental health, uk, health, world, career choice, career day, care ambassador
Indulgence

A completely self-serving and indulgent post if I can be forgiven, so I’ll keep it brief! It’s Sunday, it’s a holiday weekend and I’m fairly busy but I did get a letter yesterday from the university confirming that the portfolio...

Published 25 May 2008 7:05 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, training, uk, me, mental health social work
Gaining Approval

In order to become an Approved Social Worker (ASW) the requirements are as follows - undertake a course of sixty days training (a mixture of lectures, seminars and supervised practice in a placement setting ) -apply for a warrant (after some more supervised...

Published 22 May 2008 6:07 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, training, mental health, warrants, assessment, mental health profession, being an asw
Living in DoLs houses

Just when I thought I was pretty hot on all the acronyms that are flung around the workplace, I have been hit with a few more. It came as a result of a conversation with one of the managers (there are whole swathes of different levels of managers in the...

Published 16 May 2008 6:24 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, ASW, capacity, learning disability, long-term care, human rights, deprivation of liberty, bournewood, european court of human rights
The Last of the (New) ASWs…

I finished my portfolio for my ASW course yesterday. It’s the last time the ASW course will run because the next lot in the autumn will be doing the AMHP training. And it got me thinking a little bit… Naturally we spoke a little about the...

Published 30 Apr 2008 4:46 PM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health
The curse is better than the cure

One of the things that was emphasised strongly on the course, is that someone should never be sectioned because they ‘refused to take medication’. That just isn’t a reason. It seemed to be almost natural to comment on that in the assessment...

Published 22 Apr 2008 9:31 PM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: work, medication, side-effects, ASW
And on and on..

Moving into the final stretch now and I’m wavering between feeling fairly confident and feeling completely incapable of finishing off the work. I think I’ve got things in hand more or less - but then I worry about the pieces that I haven’t...

Published 18 Apr 2008 9:11 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: work, ASW, training, asw course, study

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