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Reducing hospital admissions from care homes: considering the role of a local enhanced service from GPs
- Authors:
- BRIGGS Daniel, BRIGHT Les
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 15(1), March 2011, pp.4-12.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Since the 1970s, the number of private and voluntary care homes for older people have risen dramatically, with the NHS now playing a minor role. However, in some areas where there is a concentration of care homes, GPs have expressed concern about their capacity to provide an effective service to residents without additional resources. Some primary care trusts (PCTs) have since responded by making funds available to enable an improved service to be established. This article looks at the impact of one local enhanced service on the work of GPs, care staff and residents in a London borough. Eight home care professionals and three GPs where interviewed to reflect on elements of the current practice, the efficiency of processes, and offer suggestions to improve the services provided. Three key themes emerged: working relationships and communications; service efficiency; and residents’ experiences. Overall, findings suggested that positive working relationships were integral to communication, which affected the level of service efficiency and quality.