Community Care: The Quality Issue Explored

Abstract

Notes the increased emphasis on community care in the NHS and suggests that “informal welfare” models of delivering such care pose particular quality and quality assurance problems. Consumer satisfaction in the community context is taken to mean both user satisfaction and carer satisfaction. Presents results from a Northern Ireland study of carers. The carers interviewed drew a distinction between quality and quantity of services received. Individual services were rated highly but there was demand for more and anxiety about future needs. Personal costs of care in lost employment, relationship and financial opportunities were also indicated. Concludes that carers are a valid and useful source of quality feedback.

Citation

Evason, E. and Whittington, D. (1993), "Community Care: The Quality Issue Explored", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 6 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526869310032637