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The Impact of Legislation, Social Policy, Society and Culture on Health and Care Services’ Activity towards People with Specific Needs

The Impact of Legislation, Social Policy, Society and Culture on Health and Care Services’ Activity towards People with Specific Needs

The following core legislative acts and state health services of the United Kingdom should be mentioned. The Disability Rights Task Force, created in 1997, considers how to protect people with specific needs from discrimination while supporting the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 and providing them with decent jobs and care. Since 1998 disabled individuals have been supported by the Disability Rights Commission as well. In October 2002, the UK Government adopted a consultation document, “Equality and Diversity: Making it Happen”, which considers equality legislation for all citizens. Thus, from the beginning of the new millennium, the rights of disabled people have been protected at the highest level. The Health Act (1999) that came into force in April 2000 attempted to unite and better coordinate the health services funded by the local councils for the more efficient direction of the costs. It could help people with specific needs find support in the shortest terms. Social policy and cultural issues affect people with special needs significantly. As a rule, people who cannot make sufficient use of the advantages of society because of their illness or disability have different health complications related to an impairment of their psycho-emotional state and bouts of depression. It could be caused by racial or religious discrimination as well. Great Britain is actively fighting against this problem and is trying to eliminate physical violence and psychological pressure in the social system.

Care Needs of Individuals with Specific Needs

People with special needs demand two types of support: physical and psychological. Physical support includes treatment with special drugs and therapies using personal equipment. Psychological support is needed to cope with stress and depression, which is typical for people with limited opportunities. Sometimes the second type of help is underestimated since it has no material basis. Nevertheless, it is vitally important because it sets for recovery and allows an individual to feel a part of the community.

Current Systems for Supporting People with Specific Needs

The strategy of the Health and Social Care Act implemented in April of 2013 provided the National Health Service, the Trust Development Authority, the Public Health, and the Health Education with full responsibilities. One of the core advantages of the new system is creating strong teams that consist of doctors and nurses who support the provision of services for patients financially. Thus, the Department of Health of the United Kingdom ensures that citizens can live a long and prosperous life. Modern health systems allow disease prevention and let the elderly and disabled people undergo treatment and rehabilitation at home. Local groups and organizations get more influence in a particular workspace. The systems also involve independent benefactors who support people with special needs.

Local Support Services for Citizens with Specific Needs

East London is a proper locality for analysis because of its difficult situation. People with specific needs have a lower level of access to key health services because of some kinds of discrimination. For example, racial discrimination leads to mental illness in adults and dismay. The East London NHS Foundation Trust is the primary establishment of the rights and freedoms of the citizens as well as the core center of guarantee of all kinds of significant support. Social workers encourage people with disabilities from the local communities to realize their life potential. Originally, the foundation was established as a trust center for people with psychological problems in East London. However, it offers a variety of specialists and health services at the local level in Newham. The ground of the trust center also includes Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and the City of London. The working staff ensures a number of basic services for many families outside East London, thus making a difference in people’s lives. They provide specialized help in the sphere of mental health in North-East London, Essex, and Hertfordshire; psychological treatment in Richmond and Luton; speech therapy for children and young people in Barnet, etc.

Approaches and Interventions Available to Support Individuals with Specific Needs

The specifics of the discussed group determine care approaches. For example, the aging population has needs that differ from those of people with long-term conditions or limited physical capabilities. They require support and communication but not special treatment. By contrast, people with long-term conditions, including such states as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia and etc., need ongoing monitoring and support due to possible attacks, stress, and sudden deterioration in their health status. Thus, each person demands individual participation and assistance. The interventions include the following:
  • Physical intervention, which includes appropriate exercises and therapy for joint movements
  • A psychological intervention that helps to improve attitude to life
  • An educational approach that provides proper communication between individuals and healthcare workers
  • The vocational approach aims at promoting proper training that suits the level of disability to adapt to independent life.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Intervention Strategies for an Individual with Specific Need(s)

Intervention strategies are significant because they help improve a person’s condition. Physical intervention includes appropriate exercises for the joint efforts of a worker and a user of specific services to restore the lost functions and helps in maintaining the physical condition. Psychological intervention is significant for making physical intervention more fruitful and creating a positive attitude toward life. This therapy helps treat depression, suicidal tendencies, personality changes, and anxiety. Educational and professional activities help patients with special needs regain their social independence. It also encourages people to gain knowledge and accurate information about their current state.

The Potential Impact of Emerging Developments on Support for Individuals with Disorders

Technological innovations provide an excellent opportunity to make amends for the scale of social inequalities between people with special needs and the healthy members of society. They are aimed at eliminating the human capabilities deficit. Technological innovation could increase the gap between people in society without equitable access to them. They also play a core role in the early diagnosis of potentially disabling diseases, which allows early implementation of preventive measures, including diet, and receiving necessary medicines. Improved technologies facilitate physical and mental aspects of life. For example, wheelchairs and hearing aids help people to lead normal lives.

Concepts of Challenging Behaviour of People with Specific Needs

Challenging behavior can be caused by the presence of any disease and the influence of harmful social factors. The first concept is characterized by involuntary aggression and internal discomfort, typical for people with disabilities. The second one considers people with disabilities who are provoked to behave abnormally. Some children and adults with specific needs sufferings could significantly harm normal family life. It includes self-injury, aggressive, deviant, and destructive behaviors, etc., because of the inability to control the body movement, problems with hearing or vision, or nervous disorders. Challenging behavior of people with specific needs is defined as abnormal behavior with such intensity, frequency, and duration that can threaten the physical safety of other individuals or society.


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