Knowledge review on outcomes-focused services for older people and their carers

Researchers: Caroline Glendinning, Inna Kotchekova, Jan Heaton, Sue Clarke,
Acton Shapiro - Liz Newbronner, Jane Maddison, Philippa Hare .

Funder: Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Duration: April 2005 - February 2006

This project was commissioned by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), to form the basis of practice guidance published by SCIE to support the implementation of proposals in the health and care White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say. It helped to strengthen the evidence base on how to deliver outcomes-focused services for older people and carers.

The project was partly funded by the Department of Health Outcomes Project 2001-5 as it built upon the work undertaken by the Programme within SPRU.

Aims

The project aimed to identify:

The service outcomes that were valued by older people and their carers
The organisational and other factors that helped or hindered the delivery of desired outcomes
Examples of good practice in outcomes-focused, person-centred services for older people and their carers.

'Outcomes' are defined as the impact, or end-results, of services on a person's life; therefore outcomes-focused services are those that aim to achieve the priorities that service users themselves identify as important.

Methods

The project had two stages:

Review of existing research
- This covered research on the outcomes valued by older people and their carers; and examples of outcomes-focused practices, including changes in ways of funding, organising or commissioning services, assessment or review arrangements, or the activities of service provider organisations.
Survey and case studies of good practice
- A postal survey was undertaken to find out how widely outcomes-focused approaches were being developed in services for older people and carers across England and Wales, and the range of different projects or approaches involved. We then focused on six localities in more depth, examining what changes had been made to the organisation and delivery of services; and the impact of those changes, from the perspectives of service users and carers, managers and front-line staff.

User and stakeholder involvement

The project was supported by an Advisory Group of Service Users, that met at key stages during the project. The Outcomes Network established by SPRU also contributed advice throughout the project.

Publications and presentations

2008

Outcomes focused services for older people
Glendinning, C., Research in Practice for Adults Study Day, Lowry Centre, Salford, 10 April 2008.

Progress and problems in developing outcomes-focused social care services for older people in England, 2008
Glendinning, C., Clarke, S., Hare, P., Maddison, J. and Newbronner, L., Health and Social Care in the Community, 16, 1, 54-63.

2007

Developing outcomes-focused services for older people
Glendinning, C., Making Research Count Workshop, Coventry, 2 November 2007.

Developing outcomes-focused services for older people
Glendinning, C., Making Research Count Workshop, University of Keele, 26 November 2007.

Developing outcomes-focused services for older people
Glendinning, C., Making Research Count Seminar, York, 6 December 2007.

2006

Developing outcomes-focused services for older people - progress and challenges
Glendinning, C., Social Services Research Group Conference, University of Leicester, 6 July 2006.

Outcomes-focused Services for Older People, 2006
Glendinning, C., Clarke, S., Hare, P., Kotchetkova, I., Maddison, J. and Newbronner, L., SCIE Knowledge Review, 13.

Outcomes-focused social care services for older people - progress and possibilities, 2006
Glendinning, C., Clarke, S., Hare, P., Kotchetkova, I., Maddison, J. and Newbronner, L., Research Works, 2006-03, Social Policy Research Unit.

Impact

Community Care, 3 July 2008. Proven Practice: Outcome-focused services for older people from minorities

Community Care, 11-17 January 2007. Knowledge Zone: Positive outcomes

The review was discussed at a Conference in January 2007 the summary of which is available here:
Early Intervention and Older People: the Case for Preventive Services (PDF 133KB)

Reablement: a cost-effective route to better outcomes, Social Care Institute for Excellence (2011). The review is referenced on page 6.

If you require further information about the project, please contact Caroline Glendinning