Care management for older people: does integration make a difference?
England and Northern Ireland provide examples of different degrees of integration of health and social care within broadly similar administrative and funding frameworks. This paper examines whether integrated structures appear to impact upon the operation of care management, a key approach to providing coordinated care for vulnerable older people. There appeared to be more evidence of integrated practice between health and social care in Northern Ireland than England, although some key features, such as intensive care management, were no more evident. It is concluded that further investigation is required as to the extent to which integrated structures have impacted upon patterns of professional working and underlying beliefs about roles.
Challis
David
D
Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU), University of Manchester, Manchester UK. d.j.challis@manchester.ac.uk
Stewart
Karen
K
Donnelly
Michael
M
Weiner
Kate
K
Hughes
Jane
J
D000368:Aged; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration; D010346:Patient Care Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012947:Social Work; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D006113:United Kingdom