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Nurse Education in Practice 11 (2011) e33

Contents lists avai

Nurse Education in Practice

journal homepage: www.elsevier .com/nepr

Book Review

Effective Practice in Health, Social Care and Criminal Justice. APartnership Approach, R. Carnwell, J. Buchanan (Eds.), seconded. Mc. Graw-Hill (2009). ISBN 10: 0-33-522911-5 (pb) 0-33-522912-3 (hb); ISBN 13: 978-0-33-5339116 (pb) 978-0-33-5229123 (hb)

This excellent book should be essential reading on every booklistfor those studying and teaching social policy, as well as thoseworkingacross the Welfare State. It is academically sound and the same timevery practical, practitioners would gain valuable understanding ofpartnershipworking inareaswithwhich theyare familiarandvaluableinsights into the practicalities of partnership working in areas withwhich they are unfamiliar. A Partnership Approach can surely assistimprovements in and development of partnership working.

The editors have achieved a successful coherence and consistentvoice to this text despite there being 18 contributors. The book isarranged in three parts: first a theoretical exploration and explana-tion of concepts associated with collaboration and partnershipworking, next the practice of partnership and finally an evaluationand a reminder of the key constituents of successful partnerships.Each chapter follows a familiar and accessible format, beginningwith a few clear aims and concludes with some thought-provoking questions and some additional web-based resources.The text is clearly structured with appropriate sub-headings, boxescontain significant concepts and for definitions, key bullet pointsare included to good effect ensuring that key ideas are not ‘lost’.

As ever, with books concerned with policies and their implemen-tation, some historical references (such as the Third Way) and somemore recent policy agendas are absent (such as the Big Society).This said, the book sets out with clarity the progress of collaborationand partnership working to recognise that policy development is

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2011.05.009

evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The careful reader or experi-enced practitioner will see that the ideas associated with the BigSociety have emerged from the pragmatism of the Third Way.

A chapter on ethical issues associated with partnership workingwas a most pleasing inclusion. The case studies were helpful,perhaps this chapter might have been extended to include somelegal aspects associated with the issues raised. It must be concededthat there are references to relevant legislation in the chapters onpartnership in practice in the second part of the book.

A most important chapter is contributed by a service user: ‘Onthe receiving end: reflections from a service user’. Here is a compel-ling account of the experience of one person’s involvement withagencies and partnerships that were designed to serve, but whichat best supplied and dispensed, so did not appear to serve. Thechapter concludes with an appeal to professionals to work in part-nership with service users ‘in a spirit of truth, honesty, justice, careand respect’. The fundamental ethical principles which underpinevery professional’s practice.

The concluding chapter identifies the key principles thatunderpin best practice for successful partnership working. Thereis a timely reminder that partnerships need time to grow anddevelop and that this requires ‘truth, honesty and respect’

Effective Practice in Health, Social Care and Criminal Justice: APartnership Approach should be required reading and study for allprofessionals working collaboratively and developing partnerships.

Susan HughesFaculty of Health and Social Care, The Open University,

United KingdomE-mail address: s.m.hughes@open.ac.uk