Hi
I'd be interested to know what others think of an issue at my work at the moment.
Due to financial restraint my department has decided to stop doing most twelve week resi/nursing reviews, there are some exceptions around complexity and bia.
Talking to a colleague yesterday she felt this such bad practice that we would probably be breaking to the conditions of our socail work registration. We have had the change in writing so have evidence if needed that we were instructed to do this. I have heard that even if you are instructed to do something like this would can still be found to have not met the requirements of the registration, presumably the idea being you should refuse to implement the change. Is anyone able to confirm this and does ending twelve week reviews mean such bad practice you could lose your registration? As I say there are exceptions - we will do them if a problem is highlighted.
Despite being a bit of a lefty I can't help but think it might be best when we are losing resources to decide what we can no longer do, what do others think?
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In this respect GSCC is toothless...they will not take any action against you unless your employer has found you guilty of an offence....criminal or civil which breaches the code of practice...and then referred you to the GSCC.
Given that your employer has instructed you to do this it's between you and your conscience whether you comply.
So you can have a code of ethics...which social work employers and managers breach day in and out with impuninity.
GSCC...they're a joke
It is part of the duty of registration to which you signed up however to report yourself or your employer to the GSCC if they are failing to support you to practice in accordance with the requirments of your code of practice. And to highlight areas of poor practice which are potentially placing vulnerable people at risk or failing in your duty of care. Another thread mentions whistleblowing... that might be an appropriate course of action in this situation too.
This very much raises the issue of the transfer of social workers registrations to the HPC and also the relationships between other registration / regulatory Bodies. the HPC does not, of course, regulate doctors and nurses.
This really needs to be taken up politically as I fear that social workers may well end p subsumed within a system of regulation that is even more powerless than the GSCC.
Queenb...I can't say too much in detail....but I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you report this kind of (mis)conduct to GSCC all they will do is refer you back to your employer...who will not be happy with you...and will attempt to dismiss you or make your life miserable for exposing their unethical practices....GSCC are a regulator...not an investigative agency...they rely on employers to investigate and adjudicate on wrongdoing...then they marry up the wrongdoing with the appropriate sections of the code of conduct...and the code for employers is toothless as there are no powers to enforce this.
You see GSCC is a sham agency...giving the appearance of a professional body responsible for upholding standards...when it is not.
After all .......governments of any stripe do not want to empower social workers to challenge their unethical policies and practices whether emanating from national or local government...that really would be the tail wagging the dog...as they see it.
Social workers have been sold a pup....and many have swallowed it hook line and sinker...and they're planning to do the same with the college of SW.....what's that old song..."when will they ever learn"
So, I think we have probably established that social workers could not be struck off for not doing a twelve week review but what do posters think of not doing a twelve week reveiw? I feel we are no longer able to provide a gold standard but more like a bit of a rusty tin standard. Ok that is reality and if only councillors would stand their nerve at elections and be honest about what we can actually do with the electorate we would be better doing less stuff well than trying and do eveything badly.