Crossing the Cultural and Value Divide Between Health and Social Care

employment, rehabilitation, carers support, safeguarding, personal care, statutory mental health assessment are but a few of the roles commonly provided. Such diversity is undoubtedly one of the sector’s strengths, but can make it challenging for those working in health to gain a grasp of what actually is ‘social care’. The organisations that deliver such services range from small volunteer run entities that work in a single locality and rely on charitable donations of time and money, up to national or indeed international social enterprises that draw on multiple and sophisticated funding streams. Again for those working in health care it can be bewildering trying to understand how such organisations are led, governed and organised. Finally there is also the issue of resources, and the reality that health services (and in particular clinical services) are generally better funded and their professionals more handsomely rewarded than those in social care. Differentials in service resourcing and individual salaries are of course found within the sectors, but social care often feels (and indeed is) the poorer cousin. Academic practice further reflects the wider resourcing and interest in health, with the numerous journals and funding streams relating to health care vastly outweighing those focussing on social care.