BJSW Advance Access originally published online on August 1, 2005
British Journal of Social Work 2006 36(4):657-669; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bch257
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inter-agency Information Sharing in Health and Social Care Services: The Role of Professional Culture
Sue Richardson is now a research student in the School of Sociology, Politics and Law, University of Plymouth. Sue has conducted university-based research into organizational behaviour for more than 25 years. Having researched partnership working in the Plymouth Health Action Zone as a research fellow with the University of Plymouth, she has now been awarded a studentship from the Economic and Social Research Council to investigate information-sharing issues in health and social care partnerships.
Sheena Asthana is Professor of Health Policy at the University of Plymouth. Among her research interests is a focus on the role of partnership working and community involvement in the planning and delivery of health and social exclusion projects. She has directed research evaluating the role of partnership working in a wide range of local projects including those targeting vulnerable children and young people, older people, disadvantaged communities and service access problems.
Correspondence to S. Richardson, School of Sociology, Politics and Law, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK. E-mail: sue.richardson{at}plymouth.ac.uk
This article uses a literature review to examine the ways in which professional culture might shape inter-organizational exchange of personal information in a health and social care context. The aim is to explore a simplified model of possible information-sharing behaviours (ideal, over-open, over-cautious and chaotic) and to suggest that patterns of information sharing may be influenced by a number of factors. It is proposed that these factors include not only inter-professional differences in the approach taken to information sharing but also the ways in which the professions interrelate.
Keywords: Information sharing, inter-professionality, health and social care, confidentiality
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
T. Gilbert and J. L. Powell Power and Social Work in the United Kingdom: A Foucauldian Excursion Journal of Social Work, January 1, 2010; 10(1): 3 - 22. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Hardey and B. Loader The Informatization of Welfare: Older People and the Role of Digital Services Br. J. Soc. Work, June 1, 2009; 39(4): 657 - 669. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||

