Diary: A lighter take on the working week

Monday
A cancellation of the weekly multi-disciplinary meeting allows me time to look at case issues accumulated since last Thursday. Also to follow up action from other meetings, including gathering information on HIV and confidentiality for a conference. As the day progressed, I realised that the team administrator is on sick leave and social worker is on annual leave, so I have to take more telephone messages than usual. Manage to type up a review of an HIV-positive person with no entitlement to public funds who is destitute. Liaise with the asylum team and voluntary organisations about this case. Finished review and forwarded for authorisation.

Tuesday
A service user called to say she is happy that her 10-year-old son who she has not seen for four years has been granted a visa to visit her in the UK. I do a home visit to an HIV-positive service user who lives on her own and is experiencing significant mental health concerns. Provided emotional and practical support and tried to contact mental health team about outcome of their assessment, which seems vital given discussion with service user. I had volunteered to attend a roadshow for adult community care this afternoon wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was good to network and find out about general adult care issues.

Wednesday
I attend the ageing matters training. I booked on this training mainly due to ageing population and HIV people living longer to explore ageism further. Training ended with watching the “Zimmers”. I was sad at the elder abuse shown but slightly uplifted by the end result of “My Generation”.

Thursday
I accompanied an HIV-positive client with a disability to the law centre about a benefits appeal and application for community care grant. I am on duty in the afternoon and follow up who on the waiting list needs contacting. With a small team, I am conscious of not overloading the social worker and end up allocating more work to myself. My new case is a sex worker, homeless and on a methadone script and often fails to turn up for meetings. So I contact the drug agency to arrange a joint appointment at time of collection of methadone script next week.

Friday
Work-life balance day. Stay in office working far too long. Go home in the evening, quick bite to eat and then to sleep. So much for work-life balance!