The Aula Magna lecture theatre on the Barcelona Campus hosted the first day organised by the Integrated Home Care Classroom, where Social Health Work and Social Services of Catalonia coincided in highlighting the need for collaborative and coordinated work in order to provide an optimal response to emergency situations. 

The #Essencials Conference offered experts from the social and health sectors a unique space for joint debate to highlight the work carried out by hospital social work, primary care and social services. During the conference, which was divided into two discussion panels, the participants discussed how different professionals have had to adapt to the current circumstances brought on by COVID-19, as well as the lessons learned and implications that apply to the role and the future challenges facing the sector.

The Conference was opened by Alfonso Méndiz, rector of UIC Barcelona, and by Boi Ruiz, director of the University Institute for Patient Care, who welcomed and passed the floor to Conchita Peña, dean of the Official Association of Social Work of Catalonia and director of Citizenship and Participation of the Health Consortium of Barcelona. Peña stressed that “from the outset we were very clear that we had to incorporate a social perspective into health emergency in order to provide a unified and integrated response, putting people at the centre and addressing the social consequences caused by the pandemic”.

In the first round table, the speakers looked back at the early days of COVID-19 to explain the strategies and mobilisations that were carried out during the first months of the pandemic, as well as the lessons and implications that professionals been able to draw from this emergency situation. The round table was attended by Lydia González, member of the Social Work Technical Advisory Board of the Catalan Union of Hospitals and coordinator of Social Work at the Terrassa Health Consortium; Carme Fortea, director of services for the care of patients with sensory disorders at the Municipal Institute of Social Services of Barcelona City Council; Anna Maria Jiménez, director of the Guineueta-Verdun-Prosperidad Social Services Centre of the Municipal Institute of Social Services of Barcelona City Council; Jordi Riba, head of the Social Work area of the Barcelona Territorial Management and president of the Enfocatss Association; and Laura Morro, head of Social Work at the Mar Health Park, and delegate in Catalonia of the Spanish Association of Social Work and Health.

At the second table, the speakers assessed the current situation and presented the main challenges and future initiatives. This round table was attended by Carme Guinovart, coordinator of Social Work at the Hospital Universitari Santa Creu de Vic and head of the User Care Unit; Victoria Mir, member of the Integrated Care team of the Department of Health and coordinator of Social Work at the Catalan Institute of Health; Eunice Blanco, head of Social Work at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital Campus; Glòria Navarro, head of the Basic Social Resources Management Department of the Municipal Institute of Social Services of Barcelona City Council; and Marta Serra, regional director of San Andreu at the Municipal Institute of Social Services of Barcelona City Council. 

The event was moderated and concluded by Oriol Fuertes, member of the Advisory Council of the Integrated Care Programme of Catalonia, member of the Commission of Social and Health Interaction of the Catalan Union of Hospitals and CEO of Qida.

During the Conference, #Essencials was screened, a short film that shows the experiences of social work and social services professionals, showing how experts have had to adapt to the current circumstances brought on by COVID-19.

Watch the #Essencials Conference video.