Monday, January 27, 2020

Eviewing The Nhs And Community Care Act Social Work Essay

Eviewing The Nhs And Community Care Act Social Work Essay Since the establishment of the Welfare State in the 1940s, the National Health Service and Community Care Act is among some of the most important laws in health and social services in Britain (Adams, 2002). Its policies, based around autonomy, empowerment and choice was supported by many writers who saw it as the cure to alleviate the deep and destructive problems encountered by social care (Levick, 1992). This paper will seek to explain the impact that subsequent social policy has had on social work practice and that of the experiences of older people since the inception of the 1990 NHSCCA. The paper will attempt to analyse the range of services available to older people before and after the 1990 Act and examine some of the main policies of the Act. The term community care was first coined in the 1960s and was originally used to describe the relocating of people from psychiatric surroundings into less institutionalised ones (Thomas and Pierson 2002). Prior to this, however, community care policy was derived from 18th Century Poor Law, which was the only legislation to meet the needs of older people, until the introduction of the National Health Act 1946 and National Assistance Act 1948 (Wilson, Ruch, Lymbery and Cooper, 2008). However, despite the new Acts, which helped to create a different world for social care (Wilson et al. 2008: 623), Townsend (1962, cited in Wilson et al 2008) reported that there was little social care provision for older people in the immediate post-war period other than residential care, which Townsend claimed clearly varied in quality. Furthermore, Beech and Ray (2009) argue that past policies have not considered the diverse needs of growing old and the number of physical, emotional and psychological ch anges that are faced by older people. Subsequent post war governments became increasingly sympathetic in the shifting of care services from residential settings to community based, which became a priority of the (1979-97) Conservative government (Adams, 2002). By the mid 1980s, many political commentators and professionals were calling for policies which involved the replacement of inappropriate residential care, which was still as Townsend had commented in the 1960s as variable in quality, and the introduction of high quality community care (Adams, 2002). Adams adds that it was hoped that community care would tackle the segregation, isolation and the stigmatisation felt by older people who may have been institutionalised for long periods of time. However, Adams (2002) points out, once the Conservative government had brought about the privatisation of public services, which included a programme of social security financing that in effect, encouraged older people to enter residential care and simultaneously leave communi ty care services under-developed due to a lack of public investment. The Audit Commission (1986) heavily criticized community care and the government appointed Sir Roy Griffiths to report on the future of community based services. This led to the Government White Paper Caring for People (Department of Health, 1989a) which ultimately transformed local authority social services departments from providers to purchasers of services to create a market economy. This had an effect on front line social workers as they were involved more in the care management of older people, like assessing needs and devising care packages (Adams, 2002). Holloway (2008: 315) supports this and claims that a common complaint among practitioners is were not social workers anymore, were just care managers. This led to a contract culture with the marketisation of the public sector where social service departments would need to commission and monitor services carried out by outside agencies (Department of Health, 1989: 23). Furthermore, social workers were more often removed from direct work with service users and there was a sharper focus and greater accountability, coupled with constraints on resources and gatekeeping for those who are in the greatest need (Levin and Webb, 1997). The NHSCCA (1990) increased the recognition of the need for community care and health care to become partners in services and to include voluntary agencies and housing departments, which heralded developing policy philosophy after 1990 (Braye and Carr, 2008). Furthermore, there was a belief that service users should have more control of the services available to them and being able to purchase the services they want, as opposed to not taking part in decisions regarding services provided for them (Braye and Carr, 2008). Another significant policy development for older people, explained by Wilson et al. (2008), was the National Service Framework for Older People which placed an emphasis on independence and autonomy. To increase the levels of independence, intermediate care; which was initially outlined in the NHS Plan (DoH, 2000) was brought about in a bid to reduce the number of days older people spent in hospital and as Lymbery (2005) points out, was often an unwanted and expensive form of treatment. Policy dilemmas are evident in the national eligibility criteria, Fair Access to Care Services (DH, 2002), which is a framework to ensure equality of access to people in need of social work intervention (Beech and Ray, 2009). Due to financial constraints, the needs of older people are only being met if they fall into the critical or substantial (CSCI, 2008). Furthermore, as Lymbery (2005) points out, older people experience negative effects with regards to access to services and options due to current policy, despite emphasising promoting independence, through the eligibility criteria, doubt surrounding the privatisation of services and the rules of assessment. This paper has charted some significant policies and services available to older people before and after the NHSCCA (1990) and has found that despite privatisation and the rhetoric of independence and promotion of choice, some key implications have materialised for older people. However, despite the Act, the paper suggests there are tensions between limited resources and unlimited needs with the role of social work changing from provider to enabler. This has had some practitioners comment that they are now care managers rather than social workers due to there being less direct work with service users and more work creating care packages.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Labor Rate

Labor rate variance is the difference between the actual labor rate and the applied overhead rate (standard rate multiplied by the number of actual hours worked). Consider this and respond to the following: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Our workers are all under labor contracts. Therefore, our labor rate variance is bound to be zero. † Do you agree or disagree that the labor rate variance will be zero if all workers are under labor contracts? Explain giving reasons. The concept of labor rate variance and its application are accurately identified and explained with pertinent examples. The labor rate variance is the difference between the actual labor rate paid and the standard rate, multiplied by the number of actual hours worked. The formula is: Actual rate – Standard rate x Actual hours worked = Labor rate variance. An unfavorable variance means that the cost of labor was more expensive than anticipated, while a favorable variance indicates that the cost of labor was less expensive than planned. There are a number of possible causes of a labor rate variance. The labor rate variance will not be zero because workers ate under contract. Wage rates paid to workers are quite predictable. Nevertheless, rate variances can arise because of the way labor is used. Skilled workers with high hourly rates of pay may be given duties that require little skill and call for lower hourly rates of pay. This will result in an unfavorable labor rate variance, since the actual hourly rate of pay will exceed the standard rate specified for the particular task. In contrast, a favorable rate variance would result when workers who are paid at a rate lower than specified in the standard are assigned to the task. However, the lower-paid workers may not be as efficient. Finally, overtime work at premium rates will result in an unfavorable rate variance if the overtime premium is charged to the direct labor account. Direct labor variance is the difference between the standard cost and the actual cost of production. Considering this, answer the questions that follow: †¢What effect, if any, would you expect poor quality materials to have on direct labor variances? If poor quality materials create production problems, a result could be excessive labor time and therefore an unfavorable labor efficiency variance. Poor quality materials would not ordinarily affect the labor rate variance †¢How must a company plan to mitigate the risks associated with direct labor variances? The standard labor rate established by a company is an average, usually pertaining to average quality workers. Newly hired workers will likely get paid less which creates a favorable labor rate variance. They will also work more slowly than more experienced workers creating an unfavorable labor efficiency variance. The opposite is true if a company employs highly skilled workers The production supervisor hires production workers and assigns each a wage rate. He is able to give them raises and terminate them if necessary. For this reason, if a labor rate exists, we inquire with the production supervisor to try to determine the variance cause. The production supervisor oversees the production workers and monitors the efficiency with which each of these workers works. For this reason, if a labor efficiency exists, we inquire with the production supervisor to try to determine the variance cause

Friday, January 10, 2020

Caricom Achievements

4th Future Diplomats Essay CompetitionThe Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is celebrating 40 years of integration in 2013. Discuss the achievements of CARICOM in light of the statement and make suggestions for future development.Kerri Mc NeilHappy fortieth anniversary to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)! An establishment which has transgressed shared colonial history; propelling its fifteen member states and five associate member states to economic integration and social development. The achievements will be discussed in ascending order of importance (CDEMA, CCJ, CXC and CSME). Suggestions such as the introduction of art forms and history into the school curriculum will be elaborated on for future developmental reference. Regional leaders recognized how valuable the Caribbean is due to its rich history, which, was in itself an economic propeller and indirectly an agent of social development.Notwithstanding the divisions that came along with it. It has presented a diverse community viab le for exploration. The need for a Caribbean identity proved to be a goal worth meeting. As globalization aggressively pounced on the minds of Caribbean nationals, destabilizing the already broken cultural and economic foundation, the leaders of these Caribbean nations saw a challenge at hand and founded the CARICOM on the first of August 1973 to promote integration and unity in hopes of achieving international competitiveness and self-reliance. The survival of CARICOM for forty years is not qualified for inessential interrogation. The goal statement of the Secretariat consolidates this, â€Å"To provide dynamic leadership and service, in partnership with Community institutions and groups toward the attainment of a  viable, internationally competitive and sustainable community, with improved quality of life for all.† This is an engine for generating efficient performance from the twenty-three designated institutions of the Caribbean Community. For example, the Caribbean Exa minations Council (CXC). This institution is the functioning of the Caribbean’s educational successes. Need I expound by way of The Mighty Sparrow, â€Å" Education, education, this is the foundation. Our rising population needs sound education!† Our standing committee members could attest to that! In addition to this, there are numerous achievements of the CARICOM, however this essay chooses to focus on the important ones through the institutions under CARICOM.To begin with, the Caribbean region is prone to natural disasters. Under this observation, the Caribbean Community engaged in the implementation of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency(CDEMA) in the late twentieth century after reports of severe change of weather patterns. There were other agencies but the region needed a regionally centralized disaster preparedness and relief agency. As such one may understand the role of the CDEMA whose prime focus is to increase the level of assistance being len t to Caribbean nations. For example, the CDEMA exercised great efficiency in responding to the 2004 disasters of Grenada and Jamaica after the much pronounced visit of Hurricane Ivan.In light of such implementations orchestrated by the CARICOM, it is clear that the life and safety of the Caribbean people are of grave importance to that bold goal of creating a Caribbean identity. Another accomplishment of the CARICOM was the introduction of an ‘assumed’ standardized justice agency. This was the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), established in 2001. Whilst it followed the format of a First World nation ( European Court of Justice) it sparked major controversies as it was offset by the decision of the then Privy Council to bar capital punishment which was practiced by the supreme European nations on persons convicted of murder. This was obviously ruled out by the Privy Council . The other issue might resonate with modern times ( the storm of globalization).This issue lied within the government of Antigua and Barbuda where,  again, the Privy Council gave a radio license, ironically, to a company without the consent of the government of Antigua and Barbuda. Any vacuity of the mind should be fed as it was clear that the CARICOM wanted to reduce the influence of the European powers. However, in the act of doing this, they only managed to establish an institution in the Caribbean rather than a Caribbean institution. Not straying from the intent of this essay, the Caribbean now has in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean Court of Justice. The CARICOM fails to stop there as the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) was implemented in 1972.This council seeks to provide nationals with opportunities and qualifications to further their primary education by way of Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) , along with the advantage of obtaining qualifications or even scholarships to universities through the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exa minations (CAPE). The University of the West Indies and the University of Guyana are direct providers for the council. It is quite notable of the CARICOM to have provided its people with the equal opportunities of any given advanced region internationally; an important one being, securing and providing sound education of its members. Through the educational system we have many aspiring career persons.Their career may require them to move to another state or the successes of their business may allow them the opportunity to expand their business to other nations. Delighted to state, they can do so. However this is only in effect due to the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy which will be further discussed in the following paragraph. The CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) was put into order on the first of January 2006. The aim of this institution was to increase integration among member states. They did this by removing tariffs and restrictions so that both economic and human resources could be shared to promote sustainable development. The Caribbean peoples benefitted as there was free movement of goods and services, skilled persons and capital. Now nationals have the right to work in any of the member states.Nurses, media workers, musicians,  sportsmen and women, university graduates and artistes benefit from this (CSME) as there are a greater availability of opportunities for job creation. Goods and services could now be provided across the single market where the owners would also have access to land and property under rights of establishment. This created a greater framework for competitiveness and a variation of choice for consumers. Equality to buy stocks and shares and being a part of the regional stock exchange is now possible for better investment opportunities. The CSME was, out of many, the most important achievement of the CARICOM.This gave way to consolidating the goal of self-reliance within the Caribbean region. No lo nger do nationals have to travel internationally to obtain jobs. They can stay within the region and do so gainfully. However it is optional. Business persons in the interest of creating enterprises and being investors now have the opportunity to do so as the market has widened to becoming intra-regional. From this increase in production, there are better quality goods on the market, and an increase in employment opportunities which may improve the standard of living. The CARICOM has created the Caribbean into a mecca. The Caribbean people now possess some sense of identity. However some adjustments can and should be made to improve the cooperation of the people who are indeed the prime target for such developmental changes.I propose that the Caribbean Examination Council promote raw data of history from an earlier stage to arouse the curiosity of nationals. This will, hopefully create the desire within them to want to know from where they have come with relation to where they are g oing. A sense of self-respect and responsibility to self will be awarded by those who willingly and factually grasp the understanding from such historical awakenings. Like the process of any natural cycle, with an attachment to a particular identity, preferably and hopefully the West Indian identity, more allegiance will be paid to the country of their nativity.Participating and contributing to the economic and social development of the nation  will simply be a part of the person’s natural regime ; rather than becoming mentally enslaved by foreign music and their inapplicable doctrines to Caribbean life; physically enslaved by clothing that speaks little about our native heritage and spiritually detached from the land of conception. Also the CARICOM should consider the implementation of compulsory arts in the curriculum where the art forms will be based on that particular culture. Music, dance, theatre, jewelry making, painting and photography are popular art forms used by youth today. It will assist greatly in the learning process. Furthermore, the students who perform the best will have the opportunity to be a part of an exchange program where they can go to other member states and learn about the culture of that nation.From this, we have the promotion of equality amongst nations of CARICOM in shared cultural diversity. With such activities the Caribbean culture can perforate the globe much like the Europeans and Americans. Many things have been done to create a distinction between the then society of colonialism and the modern society today and many more things can still be done. The Caribbean is of the most diverse regions in the world, attracting much attention, however the internal affairs must be efficient to maintain positive attention. To do this, a mode by which strong bonds can be developed has been created through the use of the Caribbean Community. In all our endeavors, I wish the CARICOM many more successful years with a plethora of deve lopmental introductions!

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Acid Anhydride Definition - Chemistry Glossary

An acid anhydride is a nonmetal oxide which reacts with water to form an acidic solution. In organic chemistry, an acid anhydride is a functional group consisting of two acyl groups joined together by an oxygen atom. Acid anhydride also refers to compounds containing the acid anhydride functional group. Acid anhydrides are named from the acids that created them. The acid part of the name is replaced with anhydride. For example, the acid anhydride formed from acetic acid would be acetic anhydride. Sources IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the Gold Book) (2006).Nelson, D. L.; Cox, M. M. (2000). Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, 3rd Ed. Worth Publishing: New York. ISBN 1-57259-153-6.Panico R., Powell W.H., Richer J.C., eds. (1993). Recommendation R-5.7.7. A Guide to IUPAC Nomenclature of Organic Compounds. IUPAC/Blackwell Science. pp. 123–25. ISBN 0-632-03488-2.