Multi-agency working and implications for care managers

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between multi-agency working and psychosocial characteristics of work, practitioner time-use and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach - A comparison of practitioners working in multi-agency (health and social care) and single-agency (social care-only) teams, using data from the 2008 evaluation of individual budgets pilots in England. Participants worked in care manager roles supporting adult social care service users, and comprised social workers and a smaller number of health professionals. Data were collected using a self-completed questionnaire. Findings - Data were returned from 249 respondents (a 29 per cent response rate), with two-thirds working in single-agency teams. No significant differences were found between team type and job satisfaction. Respondents in multi-agency teams reported greater decision authority but poorer supervisory support than those in single-agency teams. The latter finding was robust to further exploration using regression to control for confounding factors. Research limitations/implications - These data were not specifically collected for the study and response rates were relatively low due to organisational upheaval at the time of data collection, which may affect interpretation. Practical implications - Government policy is dedicated to extending integrated forms of working, including multi-agency teamwork. This research suggests that such structures need careful planning for them to work effectively, with particular attention to supervision arrangements. Originality/value - This research gives a systematic and objective exploration of the relationship between job characteristics, time-use and satisfaction of practitioners in single as compared to multi-agency teams.