Читать книгу International Practice Development in Health and Social Care - Группа авторов - Страница 14

As we write this chapter, we are in the middle of a global pandemic that is testing the resilience and values of people, communities, health and social care systems everywhere. Practice development (PD) offers practical strategies for how these challenges can be addressed founded on values‐based ways of working that are compassionate, person‐centred, safe and effective.

Despite the often unpredictable challenges faced when providing care, of which the current pandemic is an extreme example, practice guided by the values outlined above will be recognised in the workplace by the priority given to wellbeing, how teams manage challenges, and ways of working that involve everyone through collaboration, inclusion and participation to enable empowerment. The multiple perspectives and expertise resulting from this approach when applied to systematic learning and improvement that questions assumptions will enable positive and sustainable change to occur.

Regardless of setting, PD involves creating the conditions in which practitioners individually and collectively flourish. These conditions are associated with positive benefit for those who both provide and experience health and social care (West 2016; Braithwaite et al. 2017).

This introductory chapter aims to explain the relevance of PD and its potential to support health and social care at every level through focusing on what matters to people. Additionally, the chapter will outline developments since the first edition in 2008 and highlight how PD principles have driven the content of chapters and the ways in which the authors have worked together to bring you this latest edition.