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Implementing the reimbursement scheme - views of health and social care staff in six high performing sites
- Authors:
- BAUMANN Matt, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 26(2), 2008, pp.101-112.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
The Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Act 2003 announced a new reimbursement scheme which was intended to accelerate the downward trend in rates of delayed discharges and strengthen joint working between acute health trusts and social services. This article explores health and social care staff views on the early working of the reimbursement scheme taken from a broader study of the factors associated with low rates of delays in six sites where performance (in terms of rates of delayed discharge) was exceptionally good. Forty-three qualitative interviews were undertaken between June 2004 and March 2005 with health and social care professionals responsible for, or involved in discharge arrangements in the six sites. For the majority of staff, the scheme has largely supported joint working; it provided substantial new funding to social services departments for joint commissioning, it has required joint implementation of new interagency notification systems, and close monitoring and interagency communication around delays. Whilst those working with new notification systems have experienced some difficulties with reaching a shared understanding of what is required, the notification system appears to have supported clear and timely communication around discharge between ward and social services staff. Impacts on patients were not clear cut, but there were concerns from some social services staff that, as a result of reimbursement, there was greater likelihood of 'hurried' discharges.
Holistic approaches to early intervention: what works in delivering effective partnerships?
- Author:
- NOAKS Lesley
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 26(1), 2008, pp.3-14.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
This article reviews the strategic shift in the promotion of partnership working in the social care field. Drawing on empirical research undertaken as part of the evaluation of On Track, the article provides a review of the challenges of operationalising a partnership approach. The On Track project is a government funded, early intervention programme targeted at children aged 4-12 and their families. With an alertness to the potential for rhetorical claims in relation to partnership working, the article provides a review of the key factors that facilitated implementation of the On Track programme as a collaborative venture. It provides important insights for other partnership projects about what works in delivering integrated services.
Researching partnerships: politics, ethics and pragmatism
- Author:
- BALLOCK Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 25(2/3), 2007, pp.71-78.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
This article explores some of the political, ethical and practical issues encountered by researchers in studies of partnership. It briefly reviews different types of research and evaluation and the extent to which these have been politically driven. Because much partnership research is both atheoretical and ahistorical, this article considers some of the implications of applying different conceptual frameworks, such as systems theory, complexity theory and network theory. It concludes that without more strategic steps from central government to address entrenched inequalities, much partnership working is likely to remain ineffective in improving people's lives.
Evaluating the outcomes of health and social care partnerships: the POET approach
- Author:
- DICKINSON Helen
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 25(2/3), 2007, pp.79-92.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Health and social care partnership working is a central feature of the current government's approach to public policy. Yet despite this, and a proclaimed interest in evidence-based policy, partnerships have not empirically demonstrated that they produce better outcomes for service users. This paper argues that the problem may be a result of the way in which partnerships have been evaluated, rather than an indication of the ineffectiveness of partnerships per se. After providing an overview of the ways in which the 'partnership' label has been used in health and social care, the paper moves on to give an overview of the range of difficulties involved in evaluating partnerships. The paper then moves on to outline POET (Partnership Outcomes Evaluation Toolkit) which has been specifically designed to determine what kinds of partnership delivery what forms of outcomes, to whom and when.
In the know: Knowledge Transfer Partnerships - encouraging the development of an evidence-informed approach to practice through successful partnership between a University and a local authority
- Author:
- McEWEN Jess
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 25(2/3), 2007, pp.117-128.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council Family Services and the University of York are taking part in a two year collaborative Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, the aim of which is to encourage a culture of evidence-informed practice and continual improvement within Wakefield MDC's Family Services as part of the Directorate's performance management framework, and to ensure that the Research Governance Framework in Health and Social Care is fully implemented. This article outlines the key aims and objectives of the project, and explores the benefits of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships as a model for knowledge exchange. It will also describe the completion of the initial stages of the project, which include an RGF benchmarking project and the development of a communication and engagement strategy aimed at increasing awareness of the potential value of research and evidence-informed practice.
Policy into practice: partnership working between health and social care: the Health Act 1999
- Author:
- HUDSON Bob
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 22(1), 2004, pp.57-62.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Since 1997 there has been a range of legislation and policy guidance to support joint working between health and social services. Discusses the legislation, section 31 partnerships and factors facilitating and hindering joint working.
Evaluating the partnership process
- Authors:
- MacDONALD Elspeth, ALEXANDER Helen
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 21(3), 2003, pp.37-45.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Reports on a study which contributes to the shift in the evaluation of partnership policies beyond operational success factors and auditing the establishment of joint working arrangements. The authors propose a framework derived from Lowndes and Skelcher's partnership cycle and Liddle and Gelsthorpe's partnership hierarchy. The model adopted was tested on an evaluation of the development of a multi-agency domestic abuse partnership (involving health, social services, voluntary organisations and the police). Results from a questionnaire to all members of the partnership (19 replied) and a follow up interview with 11 regular attenders are firstly organised into the four partnership lifecycle stages and then evidence relating to different levels of integration are distilled. Results found the multi-agency partnership was able to move from the communicating to co-operation level due to the dedicated funding it had attracted. Discusses some of the difficulties inherent in encouraging greater integration between different organisations, especially in the light of the confusing policy messages about flexible partnerships and structural changes as levers. The authors stresses that the proposed framework requires to be more extensively tested in other evaluations.
Primary Care Research Networks: what do they offer?
- Author:
- WILSON Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 21(1), 2003, pp.51-57.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Outlines the background to the development of primary care research networks and the UK Federation of Primary Care Research Networks (UKFPCRN). Describes the function of the UKFPCRN and a regional network, the West Midlands Primary Care Clinical Research and Trials Unit (PC-CRTU). Some of the levers and barriers to research in the primary care setting are discussed, which may also be relevant to research in other service settings. Looks at some of the opportunities for and barriers to partnership working with social services.
Social services working in partnership with primary care: what makes it work?
- Author:
- THORNTON-JONES Helen
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 20(2), 2002, pp.47-51.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
This short report describes some of our experiences of a recent evaluation of the attachment of social service assessment officers to clusters of general practices in Kingston-upon-Hull. Whilst some practices were able to realise the expected benefits of such a scheme in terms of improved communications between health and social services, for example speedier access to services, some practices did not engage with the scheme. Discusses the findings in terms of what might facilitate successful engagement and what factors might inhibit it.
Learning from practice: evaluating a community involvement team within a health action zone
- Authors:
- SOUTH Jane, GREEN Eleanor
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 19(3), 2001, pp.1-9.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
The range of activities and focus on partnership working in Health Action Zones create challenges for evaluation. This paper describes the evaluation of a Health Action Zone initiative aimed at increasing community involvement in health across a health district. The design and implementation of the evaluation have been shaped by the policy context, the diversity of activities and the range of stakeholders from different sectors and communities. A collaborative approach to research has enabled findings to be fed into policy and practice. This paper reflects on the evaluation process and discusses some of the methodological and ethical issues that have arisen.