Does integrated health and care in the community deliver its vision? A workforce perspective
ISSN: 1476-9018
Article publication date: 12 November 2020
Issue publication date: 1 April 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and capture workforce perceptions, experiences and insights of the phenomena of integrated care (IC) in a community health and care NHS trust in England; including whether there are any associated factors that are enablers, barriers, benefits or challenges; and the level of workforce engagement in the process of integrated health and care.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative design based on an interpretivist research paradigm was used with a purposive sampling technique. Five in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with community nursing, social workers and allied health professionals. Colaizzi's (1978) descriptive phenomenological seven-step method was applied to analyse data, with the emergence of 170 significant statements, 170 formulated meanings and 8 thematic clustering of themes to reveal 4 emergent themes and 1 fundamental structure capturing the essential aspects of the structure of the phenomenon IC.
Findings
This study revealed four interdependent emergent themes: (1) Insight of IC and collaboration: affording the opportunity for collaboration, shared goals, vision, dovetailing knowledge, skills and expertise. Professional aspirations of person-centred and strength-based care to improve outcomes. (2) Awareness of culture and professionalism: embracing inter-professional working whilst appreciating the fear of losing professional identity and values. Working relationships based on trust, respect and understanding of professional roles to improve outcomes. (3) Impact of workforce engagement: participants felt strongly about their differing engagement experience in terms of restructuring and redesigning services. (4) Impact of organisational structure: information technology (IT) highlighted a barrier to IC as differing IT platforms prevent interoperability with one system to one patient. Shared positivity of IC, embracing new ways of working.
Originality/value
This study proposes considerations for future practice, policy and research from a local, national and global platform, highlighting the need for any IC strategy or policy to incorporate the uniqueness of the “voice of the workforce” as a key enabler to integration developments, only then can IC be a fully collaborative approach.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author was the sole funder of this study, forming partial requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Professional Studies as a dissertation. This study would not have been possible without the participants who volunteered their time to share their experiences and perceptions. Thanks go to all who have been fundamental to the study. The author would also like to thank Professor Janice Gidman, Professor Emeritus, University of Chester, for her guidance and expertise in enriching the manuscript.
Citation
Wain, L.M. (2021), "Does integrated health and care in the community deliver its vision? A workforce perspective", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 170-184. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-10-2020-0061
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited