The aim of this research project, commissioned by Age NI (an independent charity for older people in Northern Ireland), was to consult directly with older people to ascertain their views on all aspects of social care. 3 focus groups were run across Northern Ireland, in Belfast, Cookstown, and Irvinestown. 24 older people attended the focus groups, all aged over 65 years. The discussions focused on 2 main areas: views and experiences of the present arrangements for social care in Northern Ireland, and vision for a future social care system (covering views on what good care would look like and proposals for improving the provision of social care). This report provides the background to the project, and presents its key findings. It sets out the recommendations made, covering: entitlement, services and limitations; quality of care; workforce issues; carers and family support; and finances.
The aim of this research project, commissioned by Age NI (an independent charity for older people in Northern Ireland), was to consult directly with older people to ascertain their views on all aspects of social care. 3 focus groups were run across Northern Ireland, in Belfast, Cookstown, and Irvinestown. 24 older people attended the focus groups, all aged over 65 years. The discussions focused on 2 main areas: views and experiences of the present arrangements for social care in Northern Ireland, and vision for a future social care system (covering views on what good care would look like and proposals for improving the provision of social care). This report provides the background to the project, and presents its key findings. It sets out the recommendations made, covering: entitlement, services and limitations; quality of care; workforce issues; carers and family support; and finances.
Subject terms:
older people, service users, social care, social care provision, user views;
Health and Social Care in the Community, 27(1), 2019, pp.161-169.
Publisher:
Wiley
A plethora of government policies impacting older people in the United Kingdom (UK) have been strongly influenced by the rhetoric that service users should be actively involved in their social care; including decisions and delivery. User involvement is integral to the government's current drive to make service more “person‐centred” or “personalised” in adult social care. However, there has been little engagement with the broader Northern Ireland public on future adult social care policies. It has been suggested that knowing preferences for the type of future care and where and how it should be provided can be valuable for service users, providers and policy‐makers. Using a qualitative approach, this paper draws on data collected from three focus groups with people aged over 60 who are not in receipt of social care services. The focus groups took place between April 2016 and January 2017. The findings demonstrate that participants had limited knowledge and understanding of the current social care system in Northern Ireland. In addition, participants had not thought about their possible future care needs. The findings emphasise the importance of promoting and engaging the public in social care debates, particularly at a time when the need for reform of the health and social care system has been identified in Northern Ireland.
(Edited publisher abstract)
A plethora of government policies impacting older people in the United Kingdom (UK) have been strongly influenced by the rhetoric that service users should be actively involved in their social care; including decisions and delivery. User involvement is integral to the government's current drive to make service more “person‐centred” or “personalised” in adult social care. However, there has been little engagement with the broader Northern Ireland public on future adult social care policies. It has been suggested that knowing preferences for the type of future care and where and how it should be provided can be valuable for service users, providers and policy‐makers. Using a qualitative approach, this paper draws on data collected from three focus groups with people aged over 60 who are not in receipt of social care services. The focus groups took place between April 2016 and January 2017. The findings demonstrate that participants had limited knowledge and understanding of the current social care system in Northern Ireland. In addition, participants had not thought about their possible future care needs. The findings emphasise the importance of promoting and engaging the public in social care debates, particularly at a time when the need for reform of the health and social care system has been identified in Northern Ireland.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, social care, social care provision, service provision, adult social care, social policy, user participation, user views;
British Journal of Social Work, 42(7), 2012, pp.1293-1314.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Assessment tools have a key function in relation to co-ordinating care, communication between professionals and gathering data for monitoring and service improvement. There are challenges facing co-ordinated assessment processes in health and social care of older people because of the wide variety of care pathways in primary, acute, ‘intermediate’ and community care settings. This paper outlines the development of the Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) for the health and social care of older people. The purpose of the tool is to facilitate access to appropriate health and social care interventions ranging from non-complex to complex co-ordinated care and to be suitable for use in primary, acute and community health and social care including intermediate care. The development involved stakeholders from a wide range of professions, older people and carers. The process included a survey of existing care management assessment tools, various working groups and testing reliability using vignettes and trained actors. Older people were engaged in a music, dance and visual arts project on the theme of assessment to inform the tool development. The components of the tool and their development are reviewed, including considering the role of social work in contributing to specialist assessment as distinct from the role of co-ordinating a holistic assessment process.
Assessment tools have a key function in relation to co-ordinating care, communication between professionals and gathering data for monitoring and service improvement. There are challenges facing co-ordinated assessment processes in health and social care of older people because of the wide variety of care pathways in primary, acute, ‘intermediate’ and community care settings. This paper outlines the development of the Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) for the health and social care of older people. The purpose of the tool is to facilitate access to appropriate health and social care interventions ranging from non-complex to complex co-ordinated care and to be suitable for use in primary, acute and community health and social care including intermediate care. The development involved stakeholders from a wide range of professions, older people and carers. The process included a survey of existing care management assessment tools, various working groups and testing reliability using vignettes and trained actors. Older people were engaged in a music, dance and visual arts project on the theme of assessment to inform the tool development. The components of the tool and their development are reviewed, including considering the role of social work in contributing to specialist assessment as distinct from the role of co-ordinating a holistic assessment process.
Subject terms:
instruments, integrated services, older people, social care, social care provision, assessment, care pathways, health care;
Using data from the 2010 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) Survey, this briefing paper explores what kind of social care adults in Northern Ireland want and how they feel about their own future social care provision. The survey asked for views on five different ways of paying for social care, dependant on level of income; what preparations people had made for meeting financial aspects of care by age; and their views on moving into residential care by age. The survey found support for a model of funding similar to that proposed by Dilnot whereby the state should pay for a basic level of care with the remainder being means tested. Most people would like to be able to have their care needs met at home, had a distrust of the private sector in the delivery of care. The majority of respondents, 81 per cent of NILT respondents felt that social care systems should be the same across the UK.
Using data from the 2010 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) Survey, this briefing paper explores what kind of social care adults in Northern Ireland want and how they feel about their own future social care provision. The survey asked for views on five different ways of paying for social care, dependant on level of income; what preparations people had made for meeting financial aspects of care by age; and their views on moving into residential care by age. The survey found support for a model of funding similar to that proposed by Dilnot whereby the state should pay for a basic level of care with the remainder being means tested. Most people would like to be able to have their care needs met at home, had a distrust of the private sector in the delivery of care. The majority of respondents, 81 per cent of NILT respondents felt that social care systems should be the same across the UK.
Subject terms:
long term care, older people, public opinion, social policy, social care, social care provision, surveys, adult social care;
This article provides an overview of performance measurement systems and compares the different performance measurement systems in practice for older people receiving community care services in England, Northern Ireland and Japan. Over time, there have been changes in England with current systems concentrating on national systems of regulation with top-down implementation of standards and measures. In contrast, Northern Irish organisations are compared descriptively without the use of national targets. A third type of approach used in Japan, with organisations providing similar services utilising local information collected in a bottom-up manner, used service user generated data. The authors use the Performance Indicator Analytical Framework, a ‘logic model’ which compares the different systems in use, concentrating on aspects of system design and the use of measures. Comparing how to compare must, say the authors, be sensitive to the different aims ascribed to performance evaluation in the three countries. In England, the aim is one of control of subordinate agencies by central government while in Northern Ireland description of the complexity of outputs allow local Trusts to compare their provision with others and plan locally. In Japan, monitoring of the long-term insurance system by the municipalities provided detailed data at the local level. The authors conclude the choice of performance measurement system can constrain or enhance relationships with other evaluative activities, thereby affecting social care provision.
This article provides an overview of performance measurement systems and compares the different performance measurement systems in practice for older people receiving community care services in England, Northern Ireland and Japan. Over time, there have been changes in England with current systems concentrating on national systems of regulation with top-down implementation of standards and measures. In contrast, Northern Irish organisations are compared descriptively without the use of national targets. A third type of approach used in Japan, with organisations providing similar services utilising local information collected in a bottom-up manner, used service user generated data. The authors use the Performance Indicator Analytical Framework, a ‘logic model’ which compares the different systems in use, concentrating on aspects of system design and the use of measures. Comparing how to compare must, say the authors, be sensitive to the different aims ascribed to performance evaluation in the three countries. In England, the aim is one of control of subordinate agencies by central government while in Northern Ireland description of the complexity of outputs allow local Trusts to compare their provision with others and plan locally. In Japan, monitoring of the long-term insurance system by the municipalities provided detailed data at the local level. The authors conclude the choice of performance measurement system can constrain or enhance relationships with other evaluative activities, thereby affecting social care provision.
Subject terms:
local authorities, older people, performance management, service users, social care, social care provision, standards, community care, comparative studies;
Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Social Services Inspectorate
Publication year:
2006
Pagination:
27p., bibliog.
Place of publication:
Belfast
The need for an inspection of social care support services for carers was identified during the consultation on the Social Services Inspectorate's (SSI) roll-forward inspection programme for 2002-2005. The report identifies what carers value and assesses their unmet needs.
The need for an inspection of social care support services for carers was identified during the consultation on the Social Services Inspectorate's (SSI) roll-forward inspection programme for 2002-2005. The report identifies what carers value and assesses their unmet needs.
Extended abstract:
Author
CONN Lorna;
Title
Literature review to inform the inspection of social care support services for carers of older people in Northern Ireland .
Publisher
Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Social Services Inspectorate, 2006
Summary
This literature review was produced to inform the development of standards for the Social Services Inspectorate's Inspection of Social Care Support Services for Carers of Older People.
Context
The aim of the inspection was to evaluate support services across the four Health and Social Services Board areas against draft standards which have been developed after comprehensive consultation with the statutory, voluntary, education and private sectors. Particular attention was paid to ensuring that both individual carers and carers' groups were central to the consultation process and informed the draft standards development and the inspection process.
Contents
The literature review highlights the historical development of services for carers, examines the extent of caring and looks at both national and international developments over recent years. In particular, it identifies what carers value, which should inform the development of services within both the statutory and voluntary sector and enhance support for carers in their important and invaluable caring role. A foreword explaining the aims and definitions is followed by an introduction outlining the history of the recognition of caring (a term which only began to appear in the literature in the 1970s) and research on caring in its own right. Sections discuss historical development, definitions of carers, the extent of caring, characteristics of carers, age, gender, race and diversity, duration of caring, poverty, social class, policy/legislative basis and tensions in policy, what carers value, the complexity of caring, perceptions of family involvement in caring and the impact on service provision, factors impacting in uptake of services, and international perspectives.
Conclusion
The development of professional practice both in assessing carers' needs and in providing appropriate services to meet those needs represents a significant challenge. Research has focused on specific areas of care giving, but has been limited, regarding the duration and types of care provided within Northern Ireland and the extent to which ethnic minority groups are able to access services. Additionally, little is known regarding assessment practice and how best to involve carers in service planning and delivery. There is insufficient clarity regarding what constitutes support services for carers as opposed to services for the care-for person and the extent to which agencies are responding appropriately to carers' needs. Progress has been made in carers' rights compared with other European countries and Australia . In the UK the political will exists to advance service provision for carers and to further involve them in the planning of such services. Statutory agencies continue to strive to find mechanisms for identifying carers. Professionals need to receive additional training to continue to identify and respond to carers in an individual, empowering, skilled and sensitive manner. An examination of progress regarding carers' assessments, the extent to which social care services meet the needs of carers and best practice in carer involvement are essential pre-requisites for the systematic planning of future work in this area.
72 references
ISBN 0 946932 18 2
Subject terms:
inspection, literature reviews, older people, social care, social care provision, unmet need, access to services, carers;
NORTHERN IRELAND. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Publisher:
Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Publication year:
2013
Pagination:
269
Place of publication:
Belfast
This Service Framework for Older People is one of a range of Service Frameworks which set out standards for health and social care to be used by patients, service users, carers and their wider families to help them understand the standard of care they can expect to receive in Northern Ireland. It sets standards in relation to people over 65 whilst taking account of the needs of those over 50, where appropriate, particularly in relation to preventative measures. The Framework sets standards in relation to: Person-centred Care; Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement; Safeguarding; Carers; Conditions more Common in Older People; Medicines Management and Transitions of Care. Each standard is accompanied by a statement on what the standard is intended to achieve. It also sets out the evidence base and rationale for the development of the standard, the impact of the standard on quality improvement as well as the performance indicators that will be used to measure that the standard during the three year period 2013 - 2016. The Framework has been developed by multidisciplinary Programme Board with the involvement of patients, users of services and their carers. The Framework will be regularly review in the light of new evidence.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This Service Framework for Older People is one of a range of Service Frameworks which set out standards for health and social care to be used by patients, service users, carers and their wider families to help them understand the standard of care they can expect to receive in Northern Ireland. It sets standards in relation to people over 65 whilst taking account of the needs of those over 50, where appropriate, particularly in relation to preventative measures. The Framework sets standards in relation to: Person-centred Care; Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement; Safeguarding; Carers; Conditions more Common in Older People; Medicines Management and Transitions of Care. Each standard is accompanied by a statement on what the standard is intended to achieve. It also sets out the evidence base and rationale for the development of the standard, the impact of the standard on quality improvement as well as the performance indicators that will be used to measure that the standard during the three year period 2013 - 2016. The Framework has been developed by multidisciplinary Programme Board with the involvement of patients, users of services and their carers. The Framework will be regularly review in the light of new evidence.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, standards, person-centred care, safeguarding adults, carers, service transitions, medication, wellbeing, health, falls, end of life care, health care, social care, performance indicators;
This document summarises the key proposals for change in the context facing health and social care (HSC) in Northern Ireland and forms the basis for a public consultation on the future of care provision. The report provides details on why there is a compelling need for change and outlines proposals in response to the ‘Review of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, Transforming Your Care’ (2011). The discussion of proposals, what they mean and what significant local implications they may have is structured around a set of thematic areas, including population health and wellbeing, delivering services at home and in the community (integrated care partnerships), older people, long term conditions, palliative and end of life care, mental health, learning disability, physical disability and sensory impairment, family and child care, maternity and child health, acute care in hospitals, and the links with the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. The document also discusses what changes are needed to support the implementation of these proposals, the possible implications for the workforce and organisation, for the finance, for technology advances.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This document summarises the key proposals for change in the context facing health and social care (HSC) in Northern Ireland and forms the basis for a public consultation on the future of care provision. The report provides details on why there is a compelling need for change and outlines proposals in response to the ‘Review of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, Transforming Your Care’ (2011). The discussion of proposals, what they mean and what significant local implications they may have is structured around a set of thematic areas, including population health and wellbeing, delivering services at home and in the community (integrated care partnerships), older people, long term conditions, palliative and end of life care, mental health, learning disability, physical disability and sensory impairment, family and child care, maternity and child health, acute care in hospitals, and the links with the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. The document also discusses what changes are needed to support the implementation of these proposals, the possible implications for the workforce and organisation, for the finance, for technology advances.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
health care, social care, service development, change management, integrated services, older people, end of life care, long term care, mental health, disabilities, hospitals, children;
NORTHERN IRELAND. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Publisher:
Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Publication year:
2015
Pagination:
157
Place of publication:
Belfast
This Service framework for learning disabilities is one of a set of Service Frameworks which sets out standards for health and social care to be used by service users and carers, to help them understand the standard of care they can expect to receive in Northern Ireland. The Service Framework for Learning Disability aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people with a learning disability and their carers and families by promoting social inclusion, reducing inequalities in health and social wellbeing and improving the quality of health and social care services. The Framework sets standards in relation to: Safeguarding and Communication and Involvement in the Planning and Delivery of Services; Children and Young People; Entering Adulthood; Inclusion in Community Life; Meeting General Physical and Mental Health Needs; Meeting Complex Physical and Mental Health Needs; At Home in The Community; Ageing Well; and Palliative and End of Life Care. Each standard is accompanied by a statement on what the standard is intended to achieve. It also sets out the evidence base and rationale for the development of the standard and the performance indicators that will be used to measure that the standard during the three year period 2013 - 2016. The Framework has been developed with the involvement of people from all aspects of health and social care, including patients, users of services and their carers.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This Service framework for learning disabilities is one of a set of Service Frameworks which sets out standards for health and social care to be used by service users and carers, to help them understand the standard of care they can expect to receive in Northern Ireland. The Service Framework for Learning Disability aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people with a learning disability and their carers and families by promoting social inclusion, reducing inequalities in health and social wellbeing and improving the quality of health and social care services. The Framework sets standards in relation to: Safeguarding and Communication and Involvement in the Planning and Delivery of Services; Children and Young People; Entering Adulthood; Inclusion in Community Life; Meeting General Physical and Mental Health Needs; Meeting Complex Physical and Mental Health Needs; At Home in The Community; Ageing Well; and Palliative and End of Life Care. Each standard is accompanied by a statement on what the standard is intended to achieve. It also sets out the evidence base and rationale for the development of the standard and the performance indicators that will be used to measure that the standard during the three year period 2013 - 2016. The Framework has been developed with the involvement of people from all aspects of health and social care, including patients, users of services and their carers.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, standards, health care, social care provision, social care, safeguarding adults, end of life care, user participation, social inclusion, older people, community care, mental health problems, health needs, complex needs, adults, children, young people;