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Getting on with the real work
Author(s) -
Macdonald Ian
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of the british institute of mental handicap (apex)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 0261-9997
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.1988.tb00456.x
Subject(s) - vanguard , service (business) , work (physics) , service design , service delivery framework , service provider , order (exchange) , public relations , service system , business , computer science , process management , marketing , engineering , political science , history , mechanical engineering , archaeology , finance
This article is an analysis of the work of professionals providing a service to people with mental handicaps and their families in the Rhondda Valleys (Macdonald et al., in press ; Rhondda Vanguard Service, 1986). It attempts to show that a critical part of providing an integrated community service involves more than valuing or even carrying out direct service work. Although the direct delivery is sometimes seen as the only “real” work, other work which is less immediately rewarding is necessary if the service is to be delivered in a coherent way. Further, it seeks to demonstrate that in order to enhance the actual service delivery great care and effort is required in the design of systems which make sense to the service users, their families, and the service providers. This article does not attempt to summarise the entire Rhondda Vanguard Service or the Research Project.