Abstract

The word 'partnership' is often used to describe the relationship between health and social care providers and service users, but in reality this can appear to be empty rhetoric. Stakeholders may fulfil their obligations and use the language of service user involvement while traditional attitudes and practice remain unchanged.

This inspiring book sets out how to make true partnership work. Built around the stories of real partnerships and written collaboratively with service users groups and individuals, it introduces the concept of 'growing spaces' where people can pool ideas, energy, skills and experience, resulting in joint effort and mutual reward. All the stages of making a partnership work are covered, starting with the growing conditions needed and how to sow the first seeds. Developing 'green shoots', which include confidence and trust, and signs of 'sickness', such as fear of speaking out, are discussed. The grassroots experiences which lay at the heart of the book exhibit an array of different forms of partnership and dispersal of good practice in action.

This unique book will be essential reading for students and practitioners in health and social care, service users, as well as anyone involved in service user involvement and community development.

Criticisms of previous involvement strategies include the feeling that the process has long been tokenistic and bureaucratic and has had little impact on either service delivery or the outcomes for individuals. As such, this book is a welcome addition to the thinking and evidence-base for ensuring service users and groups can influence policy and practice.
Social Work Matters
Julie Gosling, as Director of Advocacy in Action, has developed and delivered teaching at universities across the UK and Europe, and has over 20 years' experience at the forefront of community involvement and in creating and supporting partnerships. Jackie Martin is Principal Lecturer in Social Work, De Montfort University, UK. She works with service users and carers on the Post Qualifying Social Work Award and carries out research with service users.