ABSTRACT

The hypothesis in relation to utilisation of social work resources was concerned with the search for the factors which influence how social work resources are used. Within the managed care environment there is emphasis on brief and cost effective intervention. The pressure to reduce costs in hospitals has increased and so it is inevitable that these pressures within the hospital system have had an impact on social work practice. If social workers are to be effective in the hospital setting then it would appear that it is important to structure service delivery so that there is a chance of providing benefit for the patients and their families. Some of the service structures may be more geared toward administrative concerns. The decision making scales may require additional development and use before they can be used with confidence in analysis of the impact of the decision making environment on patients and family members.