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The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study to test the applicability of the discrete choice experiment (DCE) method to assess the preferences of carers of people with dementia. The focus of enquiry was home care provision.

A multi-method approach was adopted for this pilot study. A literature review identified key characteristics of home care for dementia. This informed consultations with lay representatives. Key attributes of home care for the DCE were identified and formed the basis for the schedule. In all, 28 carers were recruited by two voluntary organisations to complete the DCE. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyse the data.

Seven attributes of home care for people with dementia were identified from the consultation. The use of the DCE approach permitted the identification of those most important to carers. Despite the modest sample, statistically significant findings were reported in relation to five of the attributes indicating their relevance. A lay involvement in the identification of attributes contributed to the ease of administration of the schedule and relevance of the findings.

This study demonstrated the utility of a DCE to capture the preferences of carers of people with dementia and thereby gather information from carers to inform policy, practice and service development. Their involvement in the design of the schedule was critical to this process.

The provision of information and advice for older people arranging their own care is a policy objective. The purpose of this paper is to explore the range and scope of web-based information about care coordination activities for older people in the non-statutory sector in England.

Non-statutory organisations were identified through a structured internet search. Services were screened to identify those providing at least one care coordination activity. A postal survey of services was conducted in 2014 and results compared with the initial findings of the web search.

Almost 300 services were identified, most of which were provided by three organisations: Age UK; Alzheimer’s Society; and the British Red Cross. Brokerage was the most frequently reported care coordination activity; the majority of services focussed on help to stay at home; and carers and older people (including those with dementia) were the target groups most often identified. Comparison of the two information sources revealed a significant agreement between two care coordination’s activities: compiling support plans and monitoring and review.

Findings are based on a purposive sample of organisations and therefore care must be exercised in generalising from them.

This study is one of the first to systematically explore the nature and extent of information about care coordination activities provided by the non-statutory sector in England. It was conducted when policy advocated both an increased role for the non-statutory sector and an increase in self-directed support.

The purpose of this paper is to provide new insights into the contribution and experiences of non-statutory sector (voluntary) services delivering care coordination.

This qualitative study, based on face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 17 managers from a range of non-statutory sector services, used thematic data analysis supported by a framework approach.

Four themes emerged: commissioning arrangements undermined non-statutory sector development; working relationships between statutory and non-statutory services required time and energy to navigate and sustain; the establishment of a niche role in the larger network of provision; and tensions relating to future developments. The non-statutory sector was found to provide a mix of services, including specialist provision targeting specific communities that complemented or substituted for those provided by the state. Managers wanted their services to be recognised by the statutory sector as equal partners in the delivery of care coordination and were also keen to retain their independence.

Findings provide information for service commissioners and managers from statutory and non-statutory sectors indicating a complex set of experiences and views regarding the role of the latter. This is particularly salient in a political landscape which has increasing expectations of their involvement in the provision of care coordination.

This study considers the work of the non-statutory sector in the delivery of care coordination to adults and older people, an area under-reported to date. It suggests that there are opportunities available for these services to become embedded within a wider social care system and to excel by retaining or developing specialist roles and services.

The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for examining variation in care coordination arrangements for older people.

A multi-method approach was adopted combining analysis of secondary data and primary data. There were two stages: the development of the framework and its constituent attributes and indicators; and its validation from two perspectives: a meeting with managers and focus groups with practitioners. It was informed by an existing generic framework; subsequent policy guidance; data from an English national survey; previous research; and international literature.

The framework comprises 19 attributes each with indicators measuring performance relating to: organisational arrangements influencing service delivery; the performance of core tasks of care coordination; and differentiation within the process to distinguish between responses to different levels of need.

Care coordination arrangements in England are characterised by diversity. This paper provides a framework for evaluating local arrangements thereby highlighting strengths and where improvements are needed. It offers a means to promote programme fidelity. As such it has utility for both service commissioners and providers.

The purpose of this paper is to raise issues around the involvement of clinicians relevant to current policies for integrated care by reviewing a previous policy to integrate assessments.

This paper is a review of data from a survey of specialist clinicians' involvement in the single assessment process for older people.

The paper finds that clinician involvement was limited, with assessments not changing to a discernable degree and little involvement of older people. Changes to assessment were predominantly related to paperwork. However, the use of standardised tools by clinicians did increase. The use of shared record systems with social services was significantly associated with involvement.

Clinicians have previously not been engaged in policies around integrated assessments. Factors that can help engagement include development of a shared vision, drawing on the traditions of particular groups of clinicians in informing integrated assessment policies, and appropriate IT systems to promote information sharing. Factors hindering engagement include national policy implementation, viewed as inimical to clinical practice and low involvement by service users/patients.

Reviewing such previously implemented polices around integration, particularly at the assessment stage, offers lessons to learn in terms of the factors that may help or hinder the achievement of integrated practice, particularly regarding current policies around clinical leadership.

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of media reactions to the BBC Television Panorama programme, Behind Closed Doors’ and to set this in the context of interviews with care staff about their reflections on publicity about poor practice in the care sector.

This paper reports on an analysis of media reactions to recent exposé of abuse in social care in England and data from an interview-based study of care workers. The interviews were analysed to consider the impact of such media reports on staff and to explore their views of action that might be need to be taken about care failings.

There are mixed reactions to exposé of poor care on television and to the debates that precede and follow their broadcast. Debates occur in print and on television, but also in social media. The particular exposé of care home practices by the Panorama programme, Behind Closed Doors, led to debate in England about the potential role of covert cameras in care homes. The interviews revealed that while care staff are affected by scandals in the media about social care, they do not necessarily focus on themes that the media stories subsequently highlight. Overall some are disenchanted while others have ideas of what needs to change to improve practice. Care staff consider that there remain problems in raising concerns about practices and some staff feel unable to stay in workplaces where they have made complaints.

The care workers interviewed may not be representative of the sector and they may have wished to provide socially acceptable answers to the researchers. Practice was not observed.

Local Safeguarding Adult Boards may wish to develop a communications strategy to deal with requests for reactions to media reports locally and nationally. Safeguarding practitioners may wish to prepare for increased referrals following media coverage of poor care in their areas. They may later be able to use media reports to discuss any local differences of interpretation over matters such as prosecutions for abuse. Trainers and educationalists may wish to clarify the importance given by care providers to raising concerns, the ways in which difficult conversations can be held, and the protections available to whistle-blowers or those raising concerns – with local examples to provide assurance that this is not mere rhetoric.

Television reports of problems with social care attract wide media interest but the authors know very little about how care workers respond to depictions of their work and their occupational grouping. This paper links media and expert commentator reactions to television exposé with data acquired from interviews with those on the frontline of care.

There are currently no national adult safeguarding outcome measures that focus on people who have been through an adult safeguarding investigation in England. There is a need for local authorities (LAs) and their partners to be able to measure whether the services provided to adults at risk of abuse and neglect are effective. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

This paper describes the cognitive testing phase of a study to develop and implement a standardised adult at risk outcome measure in adult safeguarding for use by LAs in England. An outcome measure (a set of seven survey questions administered in a face to face interview) was cognitively tested in three LAs with adults at risk (or their carers/advocates) for whom an investigation of abuse had been concluded (n=40), with the aim of assessing whether it was commonly understood. A set of guidance notes was designed and LA staff (n=12) who assisted with the survey were interviewed about its usability and the feasibility of administering the survey.

The survey questions required modifications to improve their reliability, validity and comparability. LA staff also suggested improvements were needed in the guidance document and survey. LA managers, adults at risk (and their relatives/carers/advocates) were willing to be involved in the survey and it was considered feasible to proceed with piloting the measure.

The development of this unique survey is of interest to those working in adult safeguarding, user involvement, survey management and outcome measurement in LAs.

The objective of this research is to identify and characterize the coordination systems used by SME hub firms that are in a situation of dependence with respect to other members of their network, taking into account the influence of hub firm size.

Seven case studies were carried out: six innovation networks in which SMEs play a central role are compared with a “reference” case, in which the hub firm is a large company.

The authors' qualitative empirical analysis of seven innovation projects showed that: the sharing of benefits and the guarantees that are implemented vary depending on the hub firm's degree of dependence; trust and recourse to formal agreements differ according to hub firm size; and conflict solving is influenced by both hub firm size and degree of dependence.

Results have important implications for the management of innovation networks which are increasingly important for the development of SMEs. The knowledge of the adequate coordination mechanism is central for a SME hub firm and the success of the innovation project.

Investigations into the internal operation of inter‐organizational networks have become increasingly common. Nevertheless, empirical studies are still rare, particularly in the field of innovation networks and even more in the case of networks set up by small firms. This article partially fills this gap.