Integrated working between residential care homes and primary care : a survey of care homes in England
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Author
Gage, Heather
Dickinson, Angela
Victor, Christina
Williams, Peter
Cheynel, Jerome
Davies, Susan
Iliffe, Steve
Froggatt, Katherine
Martin, Wendy
Goodman, Claire
Attention
2299/9342
Abstract
Older people living in care homes in England have complex health needs due to a range of medical conditions, mental health needs and frailty. Despite an increasing policy expectation that professionals should operate in an integrated way across organisational boundaries, there is a lack of understanding between care homes and the National Health Service (NHS) about how the two sectors should work together, meaning that residents can experience a poor "fit" between their needs, and services they can access. This paper describes a survey to establish the current extent of integrated working that exists between care homes and primary and community health and social services.