Key Themes in Health and Social Care: A Companion to Learning - Tapa blanda

'We can all expect health and social care to gain greater importance in our lives as the times we live in become less certain and more complex. Those working in these fields can expect greater challenges and demands to be placed on them. They will need many forms of help to enhance their learning and develop their critical capacity to convert that into positive practice. This will come from many sources: fellow learners, teachers, experienced practitioners and service users. But I think there will also be a place for books like this. It will be one of the friends that offers learners more than a little help to get by, supporting them to move from learning to doing, challenging unhelpful boundaries and questionable assumptions and equipping them to develop their own experiential wisdom.' - Peter Beresford, Brunel University, UK

'This book provides a comprehensive picture of different areas of health and social care policy and intervention. Clear and well researched, with many suggestions for further reading, it will be useful to students and practitioners across a range of health and social care professions. I thoroughly recommend this publication because it provides an up to date exploration of dynamic complexities relevant to fast changing public sector services.' - Patricia Higham, Nottingham Trent University, University of Northampton, UK; and independent consultant.

Key Themes in Health and Social Care is a learning resource for students in health and social care. It provides an overview of foundational issues and core themes in the field and introduces key areas of debate, moving from an introductory level to in-depth discussion as the book progresses. Divided into three parts:

• the first part sets the scene, addressing introductory psychology and sociology, social policy, equality and diversity, skills for practice, and working with people
• the second part considers key themes such as the contribution of philosophy and politics; criminal justice; management of services; the relationship between place and wellbeing; research in health and social care; theories of counselling; housing and the built environment
• the third part looks at discrete areas of practice such as mental health; substance abuse, protection work; health promotion; disability studies; working with men; child welfare and public responsibility.

Each chapter begins with an outline of the content and learning outcomes and includes reflective exercises to allow students to reflect on what they have read, review their learning and consolidate their understanding. Time-pressed readers wanting to ‘dip into’ the book for relevant areas can do so but, read from cover to cover, the book provides a comprehensive introduction to the key areas of contemporary health and social care practice. It will be particularly helpful for students undertaking health and social care undergraduate and foundation degrees.