Perspectives on social workers from within an integrated setting: A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with six UK community practitioners

Abstract

Purpose

This research explores community professionals' opinions concerning social worker's roles and statutory functions. It explores the perspectives of professionals and their understanding of collaborative and cooperative work; experiences of professional support; opinions on the aspects of anti-oppressive practices in social work; views on social work identity within multidisciplinary team structures; and perceptions regarding the challenges of cultural and contextual drivers of social work practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts an interpretivist paradigm and social constructionist epistemology in that there are multiple realities to be understood and different perspectives and perceptions to be explored. This study adopted a data collection approach of thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews.

Setting and participants

Social workers and nurses working within an integrated social care and health NHS trust.

Methods

Six respondents volunteered for interviews in 2017. Data were coded as follows using a multistage approach: (1) coding of comments into general categories (e.g. culture, models of practice), (2) coding of subcategories within main categories (e.g. values, knowledge and skills), (3) cross-sectional analysis to identify themes cutting across categories and (4) mapping of categories/subcategories to corresponding comparable research for comparison.

Findings

Most interviewees (5) were social workers, with one from the nursing field. Respondents provided comments that fell under four overarching themes: cultural theme, the impact of economic austerity, organisational structures and the political drivers of integration.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the evidence regarding the role of social workers within integrated health and adult social care organisations (as opposed to mental health social work) and also contributes to the evidence around social work in times of austerity.

Citation

Phillipowsky, D.J. (2020), "Perspectives on social workers from within an integrated setting: A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with six UK community practitioners", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 65-76. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-11-2019-0049