Healthwatch Northamptonshire Chair Stands Down After More Than 10 Years in Global Leadership Role
David is the Editor of the fourth and final report on the first decade of The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development 2010-2020 which was published on Wednesday 15th July 2020 during the online Global Social Work conference, which attracted 20,000 registrants from across the globe.
The report highlights the need to develop and sustain good relationships in social work and social development, including a Global Overview, written by David, and five regional reports.
‘Providing good health and social work services depends on good relationships, wherever you live in the world. Professionals in social work have essential expertise in relationship building, a skill desperately needed in our world, which is too often divided by suspicion and hatred’
Some of the key messages of the Global Overview include:
- Valuing and involving people in decision-making produces better and more long-lasting solutions
- Demonstrating support for respectful relationships, building on people’s strengths, creates the best outcomes. Bad relationships always create conflict
- Ensuring a positive working environment with relationship-based management draws out the best in practice.
‘These findings are the driving energy of Healthwatch’, David observed, ‘which is why I am honoured to Chair Healthwatch Northamptonshire which is committed to involving people in shaping health and social care services in the county. I am pleased to be helping to build positive, effective, respectful relationships between health and social care agencies in the county during this difficult time.’
The Global Agenda is a joint initiative of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW – President Annamaria Campanini), the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW – President Eva Holmberg Herrström) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW – President Silvana Martinez). David has been part of the Global Agenda leadership team for more than a decade, including his period as IFSW President (2006-2010).
