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1 – 10 of over 7000This paper presents the experiences and perspectives of practitioners involved in the delivery of intermediate care. The findings emerged from three workshops involving…
Abstract
This paper presents the experiences and perspectives of practitioners involved in the delivery of intermediate care. The findings emerged from three workshops involving therapists, nurses, social workers and managers from across South Yorkshire which were designed to explore service development issues and practitioner roles in intermediate care delivery. It explores the practitioners' interpretations of intermediate care and their vision for the future of the service, and discusses the implications for services, employers and policy makers.
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Intermediate care has featured strongly in evolving strategy for support provision for older people in England. In Scotland the concept appears to have been rejected in favour of…
Abstract
Intermediate care has featured strongly in evolving strategy for support provision for older people in England. In Scotland the concept appears to have been rejected in favour of an emphasis on integrated care. This apparent divergence is explored in the broader context of policy variation post‐devolution and against the aspirations for a whole‐system approach.
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Jill Manthorpe, JoyAnn Andrews, Mieke Agelink, Sanne Zegers, Michelle Cornes, Melanie Smith and Roger Watson
Intermediate care services generally focus on health and social care organisations as the key commissioning and providing agencies. The private sector is an important contributor…
Abstract
Intermediate care services generally focus on health and social care organisations as the key commissioning and providing agencies. The private sector is an important contributor to residential intermediate care, and the voluntary sector is also involved in a variety of activities. However, volunteers' contribution is little discussed, and its potential unknown. This article outlines features of intermediate care that may or may not be attractive to volunteers. A survey of volunteer perceptions of their role in one voluntary sector intermediate care service is reported. Recommendations are made for voluntary groups, intermediate care workers and their managers, and policy makers.
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To provide a controversial opening to this Special Issue, an expert casts a critical eye over the creation and implementation of the national policy for intermediate care.
Abstract
To provide a controversial opening to this Special Issue, an expert casts a critical eye over the creation and implementation of the national policy for intermediate care.
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Fraser Mitchell, Claire Dobson, Anne McAlpine, Siobhan Dumbreck, Ian Wright and Fiona Mackenzie
This article reports on the experiences and outcomes of a demonstrator project in Fife aimed at improving intermediate care services. The project focused on three strands…
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This article reports on the experiences and outcomes of a demonstrator project in Fife aimed at improving intermediate care services. The project focused on three strands: workforce development, extended access and pharmacy. The outcomes provide valuable information to guide future developments in intermediate care services.
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Until recently there was a lot of confusion about the meaning of the term ‘intermediate care’ and the role, if any, that the supported housing sector can play in the development…
Abstract
Until recently there was a lot of confusion about the meaning of the term ‘intermediate care’ and the role, if any, that the supported housing sector can play in the development of intermediate care services. This article examines what intermediate care is, who it is for, and what the housing and support contribution might be.
Eileen Waddington and Melanie Henwood
Home from Hospital schemes run in the UK by the British Red Cross meet and match intermediate care policy's objectives. A review of 17 schemes undertaken in 1996 is compared with…
Abstract
Home from Hospital schemes run in the UK by the British Red Cross meet and match intermediate care policy's objectives. A review of 17 schemes undertaken in 1996 is compared with a review of 55 schemes operating in 2003. It suggests that such schemes are addressing needs and have the potential to develop work in prevention of hospital admission and to improve health generally.
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David Wilkie, James Middleton, Alison Culverwell and Alisoun Milne
This article aims to describe the aims, role and impact of a specialist intermediate care service for people with dementia in Kent, entitled the Home Treatment Service (HTS). The…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to describe the aims, role and impact of a specialist intermediate care service for people with dementia in Kent, entitled the Home Treatment Service (HTS). The authors reflect on two workshops about the service, delivered as part of the “Dementia Care: A Positive Future” conference held in May 2010.
Design/methodology/approach
The 45 participants in the workshops included service providers, professionals and family carers. The aims and nature of the service were outlined by members of the clinical team as: adopting a multi‐professional approach, emphasising the value of a shared assessment process and having a commitment to flexible and intensive working within a person centred framework.
Findings
Focusing on the HTS's work with care homes, presenters offered case illustrations to highlight its collaborative approach to working with service users, staff, managers and families to improve the quality of life for users presenting with “challenging behaviour” and preventing placement breakdown. Discussion with participants explored the obstacles and opportunities in working productively with care homes. The HTS's potential to reduce reliance on anti‐psychotic medication was specifically highlighted. In addition to improving user and carer quality of life, outcomes of HTS intervention include a reduction in and quicker discharge from, mental health hospitals and maintaining the person in their existing setting.
Originality/value
The importance of including all parties – the older person with dementia, relatives, care staff and professionals – in co‐creating “solutions” was identified as one the HTS's keys to success.
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Diane Seddon and Graham Harper
This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that sought to identify what works well in supporting older people to live in their own homes and local communities. Drawing…
Abstract
This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that sought to identify what works well in supporting older people to live in their own homes and local communities. Drawing on data from six focus groups conducted with key stakeholders, including older people, carers, care managers and direct service providers, the shortcomings of existing services to meet the needs of older people are recognised and the paper seeks to move discusion forward to what might help improve provision. Examples identified during the focus groups are explored and highlight the importance of enabling older people to maintain community connections and draw on existing community facilities. To be effective, support needs to be underpinned by a person‐centred approach which takes into account individual preferences and priorities, and is organised locally to where older people live. Statutory organisations are often constrained by restrictive thinking and financial pressures lead to resourcecentred rather than person‐centred responses to individuals in need. Our findings suggest that commissioners of services should be more creative in developing flexible providers in local communities and that we consider approaches that may be helpful in achieving this and transforming support arrangements. The potential of an action research programme to explore the ideas raised and enable processes for development, outcomes for older people, their carers and the communities in which they live, as well as the costs, to be tested comparatively with traditional services is noted. The importance of capacity building and investment in the independent sector and other community partners is critical to achieving change.
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JoyAnn Andrews, Jill Manthorpe and Roger Watson
Intermediate care is emerging as performing an increasingly‐significant function in bridging the care gap between hospital and home. It does not emerge from a policy or service…
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Intermediate care is emerging as performing an increasingly‐significant function in bridging the care gap between hospital and home. It does not emerge from a policy or service vacuum. Relationships between statutory health and social care services and the voluntary sector have their roots in past practices and separate agendas. The findings from this study indicate that any partnership between the statutory and voluntary sectors in delivering packages of intermediate care will inevitably encounter challenges associated with multi‐level, multi‐professional and multi‐agency collaboration. This article explores these challenges and provides some insight on how to meet them.
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