Abstract
Context: With rising levels of multimorbidity in an ageing population, many more people will have multiple physical, cognitive and functional impairments and complex chronic care and support needs. When they experience a flare up of their conditions or further functional decline, they require urgent and comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment and support from different agencies to maximise recovery and prevent escalation of dependency. Currently, many such individuals are admitted to hospital for assessment as an emergency, where they are at increased risk of harm, death, readmission or premature admission to long term care.
Intermediate Care offers an alternative person centred and integrated response through a continuum of community services for assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and support at times of transition in health and care needs. These services can offer safe and effective alternatives to emergency inpatient care, support timely discharge from hospital, promote return to independence, and prevent premature admission to long-term residential care.
Intermediate care can be provided in:
- Individuals’ own homes, sheltered and very sheltered housing complexes
- Designated beds in local authority or independent provider care homes
- Designated beds in community hospitals
Many countries have developed a range of innovative integrated intermediate care services but we currently lack an agreed taxonomy and framework for benchmarking and evaluating these care models across different systems.
Aims of the workshop:
- To share examples of good practice in intermediate care from Catalonia and Scotland
- To identify gaps in education and training, research and evaluation
- To scope interest in establishing an international community of practice
- To consider a possible taxonomy for the different models
Target participants:
- Health and social care policy leads, planners, practitioners and managers from primary care, community services, hospitals and care homes.
- Patients and caregivers
- Third sector partners and housing with
- Care at home and housing with care provider organisations