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The problems that face health service delivery across different countries are compounded by financial, political, institutional and technical deficiencies. Yet, the role of technological aspects in the procurement of health commodities and health service delivery system requires in-depth exploration. This study bridges this gap by examining the mediating effect of an integrated health commodities procurement system on the relationship between responsiveness and health service delivery.

Data for this study were collected from 274 respondents, comprising procurement staff and pharmacists using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. A total of 28 government-owned hospitals from 6 regions in the Southern Highland of Tanzania were sampled for observation. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used for data analysis.

The results of the study revealed a positive and significant relationship between responsiveness and integrated health commodities procurement system (β = 0.572, p < 0.001). Responsiveness positively and significantly affects health service delivery (β = 0.175, p = 0.004). The results also show that integrated health commodities procurement system is positive and significantly related to health service delivery (β = 0.264, p < 0.001). Lastly, the bootstrapping confidence intervals revealed that an integrated health commodities procurement system significantly mediates the relationship between responsiveness and health service delivery.

To strengthen the health service delivery system, the study recommends enforcing internal control mechanisms and supporting policies that will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the integrated health commodities procurement system and service practitioners' responsiveness. Moreover, health service managers should ensure that the planning, procurement and distribution of health commodities are fully and effectively integrated at each node of the health supply chain.

The study contributes to the body of knowledge which examines the efficacy of health service delivery from procurement perspective. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study that offers empirical evidence for the mediating effect of integrated health commodities procurement system on the link between responsiveness and health service delivery.

Policy has identified the need for integrated dementia services for older people. However, the role of the formal carer within an integrated framework of service delivery has not been well articulated in practice. The aim of this paper is to understand the experiences of formal carers working with the context of an integrated dementia service by exploring findings from a research‐based evaluation.

The evaluation captured the experiences of formal carers working within the service via observations, semi‐structured interviews and focus groups.

Working with an integrated service brings about individual, social and organisational challenges to the role of the formal carer, in terms of: delivering flexibility and responsiveness, providing continuity of care, ensuring cross‐organisational working and acquiring skills, knowledge and expertise.

To facilitate the successful delivery of integrated care, the emerging role of the formal carer needs to be more clearly articulated and supported within a service context.

As enterprises focus on offering integrated product/service bundles, performance‐based contracts become ever so important in ensuring effective delivery. Performance‐based contracts fall under the result‐oriented category of industrial product service systems (PSSs). The paper aims to present a conceptual framework for operations strategy in performance‐based industrial PSSs that will help manufacturing companies configure their operations to support effective delivery of integrated product/service offering.

This paper first develops a conceptual framework for operations strategy in performance‐based contracts by identifying the key elements after a detailed systematic review of literature. A major shift in support and maintenance logistics for complex engineering systems over the past few years has been observed in the defence and aerospace industries. Availability contracting, a special type of performance‐based contracts, is replacing traditional service procurement practices. Two exploratory case studies involving defence availability contracts are conducted for making inferences regarding the operations strategy.

The important findings of this research are a set of elements of operations strategy guiding the development of a conceptual framework, a set of operating principles and processes supporting effective delivery of performance‐based service contracts.

The true value of this research is to open up the novel area of result‐oriented industrial PSSs operations strategy by capturing the key characteristics of operations using both literature and empirical evidence.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a case definition of integrated health and social services initiatives that serve older adults, and will provide characteristics to aid in the identification of such initiatives. The case definition is intended to ease the identification of integrated health and social care initiatives.

A limited search was undertaken of both scientific and gray literature that documented and/or examined integrated health and social services initiatives. In addition, literature on well-documented and generally accepted integrated healthcare and social services models that reflect collaborations from healthcare and social services organizations that support older adults was also used to develop the case definition.

The case definition is as follows: healthcare organizations from across the continuum of care working together with social services organizations, so that services are complementary and coordinated in a seamless and unified system, with care continuity for the patient/client in order to achieve desired health outcomes within a holistic perspective; the initiatives comprise at least one healthcare organization and one social care organization; and these initiatives possess 18 characteristics, grouped under 9 themes: patient care approach; program goals; measurement; service and care quality; accountability and responsibility; information sharing; culture; leadership; and staff and professional interaction.

A limitation of this study is that the characteristics are based on a limited literature search. The quality of some of the literature both gray and published was not definitive: information on how they undertook the literature search was not provided; exclusion and inclusion criteria were not included; and there was insufficient detail on the design of the studies included. Furthermore, the literature reviews are based on integrated initiatives that target both seniors and non-senior’s based services. The cross-section of initiatives studied is also different in scale and type, and these differences were not explored.

The case definition is a useful tool in aiding to further the understanding of integrated health and social care initiatives. The number of definitions that exist for integrated health and social care initiatives can make it confusing to clearly understand this field and topic. The characteristics identified can assist in providing greater clarity and understanding on health and social care integration.

This study provides greater coherence in the literature on health and social care integration. It aids in better framing the phenomenon of healthcare and social services integration, thereby enhancing understanding. Finally, the study provides a very useful and concrete list of identifying characteristics, to aid in identifying integrated health and social care initiatives that serve older adults.

Interest has grown in integrated care models as means of responding better to the needs of frail older adults. In order to provide appropriate input for health policy reforms, the effects of integrated care must be assessed with sound methodologies. Based on three experiments conducted in the province of Quebec, Canada, this article provides practical advice on key issues involved in evaluating integrated care models.

The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the method of using a participatory action research (PAR) approach and offer some insight into the processes of integrated working with service users and carers. The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill, 2013 (The Scottish Government, 2013) is focused on integrated and partnership working within the systems of health and social care. The author begins with a person-centred approach and explore the value of placing service user engagement for successful integrated practice. Through these reflections on PAR, the author offers some new lessons about what integration means to practitioners at the front line of service delivery.

This paper offers insights from a practitioner-research project which the author conducted within the author ' s own practice. It is a reflection on the process of using PAR with five people with dementia and their carers in a research project on the use of music to increase wellbeing for both the person with dementia and their carer. PAR helps to gain service user views but supports service users and providers to work in an integrated way.

This paper offers insights from a practitioner-research project which the author conducted within the author ' s own practice. It is a reflection on the process of using PAR with five people with dementia and their carers in a research project on the use of music to increase wellbeing for both the person with dementia and their carer. PAR helps to gain service user views but supports service users and providers to work in an integrated way.

A person-centred approach to service user participation in the research process has valuable insights for the integration of service users in the design and delivery of health and social care. The insights offered here highlight the complex processes which make-up effective engagement with service users and carers. It offers concrete details on the challenges which practitioners may face when they work to integrate service users and carers into the planning process. It also highlights the benefits of shared problem-solving and control. Practitioners already play an invaluable role in providing integrated care. This paper serves a reminder of much of what we already know and do. It also asks us to reconsider the focus of integration as a person-centred process.

The aim of this paper is to report the process, findings and implications of a three‐year evaluation of integrated health centres (IHCs) established in three secondary schools in Cornwall by the School‐Based Integrated Health Centres (SBIHC) partnership.

When the partners had completed the capital works, an evaluation strategy was designed for 2009‐2012 to identify the extent to which each of the IHCs was meeting the aims set for the IHCs, and each IHC and school was contributing to the aims of the SBIHC project. Formative and summative evaluation used annual case studies to apply data progressively regarding: the use, users and operations of each IHC; students’ perceptions of the user‐friendliness of the IHCs; indicators of the general health and well‐being of students and their sexual and mental health; students’ exposure to crime, substance abuse and poverty; and students’ academic achievement, attendances and exclusions. This process culminated in this paper which reports and discusses findings, suggests implications for practice, theory and research and proposes future directions for the partnership.

All three schools engaged students closely in the design and decoration of their IHCs. Student ownership was extended into the selection of Coordinators and into centre management and governance. Budehaven Community School appointed a National Health Service (NHS)‐trained Coordinator for their IHC, The Haven, a mental health worker funded for one year by the NHS. After 2009‐2010, his responsibilities were shared by the NHS‐trained Receptionist and the Manager, an Assistant Headteacher. During Year 3, Budehaven added a “co‐location” building, Kevren. About 37 professionals are now located in or visit The Haven and Kevren. Student footfall doubled to about 4,000 in the second year and increased by another 25 per cent in the third year. The wide range of general, mental and sexual health services were highly valued by the students. The Crayon, the IHC in Hayle Community School, achieved a similar footfall over three years. It started with a Receptionist and the Pupil Welfare Officer. The Manager, a Deputy Headteacher, and the Headteacher moving most student support services into the IHC at the end of Year 1. From then on the Crayon had three full‐time professionals. By the end of Year 3, the Crayon had reached the limits of its facilities. A solely positive association was found between IHC usage and measured improvements to mental health and academic progress. The IHC in Penair School, Bywva, developed a wide range of general, sexual and mental health services, attracted a similarly strong footfall, and also reached capacity in Year 3. Penair refined their IHC's line management by an Assistant Headteacher and coordination by a Lead.

This paper offers a new conceptual model of the SBIHC model of health care centred on the reciprocity and integrity of relationships between students and professionals.

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the critical areas of work in any long-term strategy to develop integrated occupational therapy services across health and social care for adults who are frail and elderly and living in their local communities. It explores the success that has been experienced in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board over the past eight years or more and proposes “keeping the faith” as a helpful personal strategy in avoiding disillusionment and disengagement in the process when setbacks occur along the way.

The paper is a combination of personal reflection and experience, with reference to the literature and what has been written about others’ professional experiences at bringing services and professional groups together.

Developing integrated occupational therapy services is not easy. However there are several critical factors, which once understood for their role in the overall process, add weight to the “right thing to do” argument. These “critical factors” provide a continued focus for the work when the challenges inherent in developing integrated services are in danger of outweighing the successes and the pressure is strong to revert to the default position of single agency service delivery.

This paper makes an effort to pursue integrated occupational services to serve as an example of wider attempts to pursue collaboration and integration, highlighting the need for remaining doggedly determined on the final objective – better services for people.

Mae’r erthygl hon yn archwilio rhai o’r meysydd gwaith hanfodol mewn unrhyw strategaeth hirdymor i ddatblygu gwasanaethau therapi galwedigaethol integredig ar draws iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae’n nodi ‘cadw’r ffydd’ fel strategaeth bersonol ddefnyddiol yn osgoi dadrithio a datgysylltu yn y broses pan fydd rhwystrau yn digwydd ar hyd y ffordd. Mae’r papur yn dadlau bod yr hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud a’r buddion i ddefnyddwyr y gwasanaeth pan fyddwn yn gwneud pethau’n iawn gymaint yn well, fel na ddylai cyflenwi unrhyw beth arall fod yn opsiwn. Mae’n cynnig mai integreiddio yw’r peth iawn i’w wneud hyd yn oed pan na ellir meintioli a mesur canlyniadau’n hawdd, oherwydd cymhlethdod y broses dros gyfnodau hir. Er bod y ffocws ar wasanaethau therapi galwedigaethol, diben ychwanegol y papur yw dangos sut y mae gwasanaethau ac asiantaethau eraill yn debygol o wynebu’r un brwydrau ac yn gallu dysgu o’r profiad hwn.

Mae’r papur yn gyfuniad o adlewyrchu a phrofiad personol, wedi ei gyfuno â chymariaethau o’r llenyddiaeth a phrofiadau proffesiynol pobl eraill yn dod â gwasanaethau a grwpiau proffesiynol gyda’i gilydd. Mae’n ystyried y gofyniad i ailddylunio’r gweithlu fel ffactor allweddol a phwysigrwydd cadw’r person/claf/defnyddiwr y gwasanaeth yn ganolog i’r holl ystyriaethau yn ymwneud ag ymarfer, proses a pholisi.

Gellir priodoli’r llwyddiant yn datblygu gwasanaethau therapi galwedigaethol integredig yn ardal Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan dros yr 8 mlynedd neu fwy (ac sy’n dal yn waith sy’n mynd rhagddo) i sawl ffactor sydd, unwaith y cânt eu deall am eu rôl yn y broses gyffredinol, yn ychwanegu pwysau at y ddadl ‘y peth iawn i’w wneud’. Mae’r ‘aml’ ffactorau hyn yn rhoi ffocws parhaus i’r gwaith pan fydd yr heriau mewn perygl o wrthbwyso’r llwyddiannau ac mae’r pwysau yn gryf i ddychwelyd i sefyllfa ddiofyn o gyflenwi gwasanaeth gan un asiantaeth.

Mae’r papur hwn yn gwneud ymdrech i fynd ar drywydd gwasanaethau galwedigaethol integredig i wasanaethu fel enghraifft o ymdrechion ehangach i fynd ar drywydd cydweithredu ac integreiddio, gan dynnu sylw at yr angen am weddill ei benderfynu doggedly ar yr amcan terfynol – gwell gwasanaethau i bobl.

This article describes the strategy for delivering integrated care in Trafford on a whole‐systems basis. It describes an approach to integrating services across primary care, community health services, social services and acute care. It covers the (clinically led) process of developing the strategic framework, the principles developed and used, and the specific programme to be carried out in 2010/11.

The purpose of this paper is to propose an enhanced conceptual model for the integrated public service (IPS) functionality of the European interoperability framework (EIF). The enhanced model incorporates co-creation within the three stages of the IPS cycle. While co-creation can provide innovative routes to overcome interoperability challenges, how co-creation can be a part of the EIF has not been tackled before (Casiano Flores, et al., 2021).

A preferred Reporting Items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses scoping literature review was used to develop the model and identify decisive aspects of co-creation, service users and service providers. Next, a purposive snowball sampling of grey literature comprising primarily of official documentation produced by the European Union was then undertaken to further inform the central argument. Finally, the subsequent validation of the model and derived conclusions was undertaken both internally and externally by peers and experts.

Relationships between key sets of actors during co-creation are bi-directional. Furthermore, different sets of actors are, in turn, service providers and service users depending on the service provided and the stage in the public service cycle under consideration. Understanding these bi-directional interrelationships can help improve public services provided by governmental actors through collaboration with users.

Most public service delivery models see relationships between key stakeholders as unidirectional and one-dimensional. By contrast, this study proposes a shift in paradigm where IPS users are not passive actors and mere consumers of services but instead are key stakeholders actively participating in IPS provision.