Integrated care for frail older people
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative study to investigate patients’, carers’ and providers’ perspectives on integrated care and integrated care pathways for frail older people in Lambeth and Southwark, south London
IRAS ID
226031
Contact name
Euan Sadler
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Integrated care for frail older people
The proposed study is funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ and The Maudsley charities.
Frailty is a condition involving an age-related decline in bodily reserves in which the older person becomes vulnerable to health problems affecting independence in everyday activities. Frail older people often have a number of health and social care needs, but experience problems receiving care and support in a coordinated way. A proposed solution is the delivery of integrated care, which has shown benefits for patients and services. One new type of integrated care model for frail older people are integrated care pathways (ICPs) which are clinical level practices integrating health and social care, delivered by multidisciplinary teams along a care pathway. Despite major policy drives to deliver integrated care, little is known about how integrated care and ICPs are implemented in practice.
This study involves conducting interviews with a sample of 45 participants, comprising 15 frail older people, 15 carers and 15 providers (health and social care professionals, care workers, service managers and commissioners) in Lambeth and Southwark, south London. Interviews will investigate their perspectives on integrated care and ICPs for frail older people in Lambeth and Southwark, south London, including how these are understood and experienced and what factors influence their implementation. Frail older people and their carers will be recruited from primary care records from one GP practice in Lambeth and one in Southwark, and consented and interviewed in their homes. Providers will be recruited through liaison with local geriatricians, GP leads and Chief Officers of local Age UK organisations, and consented and interviewed in a quiet room at their workplace or the university. Results will inform improvements in the implementation of integrated care models to improve quality of care and outcomes for frail older people in Lambeth and Southwark, south London.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0239
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion