Abstract
Background: The integration of system-wide health and social care policies and services has long been seen as the answer to improved efficiency and outcomes for consumers of health and social care services. Recent Government reviews[1] , however, have failed to find substantial evidence that integration lead to better outcomes for patients or financial savings or reduced hospital activity. For example, there was no evidence that the widely population multidisciplinary team approach is unlikely to achieve widespread efficiencies and anticipated outcomes in constrained financial settings. Barriers identified include misaligned financial incentives, workforce challenges and reticence over information sharing. Despite these reservations optimism is widespread that integration and social care can address the challenges facing society with increasing chronic illness, mental illness, disability, homelessness, ageing and marginalised traumatised populations. The answers may not lie with large scale government policies but rather with local initiatives between primary health care, community or 3rd sector providers and hospitals. The challenge advanced by the UK Audit Office as to establish an evidence base for what works in integrating health and social care as a priority.
Aims and Objectives:
1) Discuss definitions and scope for Integrating Health and Social Care
2) DIscuss the scope and purpose of an Integrating Health and Social Care Special Interest Group (IHASC SIG)
3) Modify the Scope and Purpose Document for the Integrating Health and Social Care (IHASC SIG)
Format: Timing 60 minutes, One Speaker, Group work at tables, Feed back from tables, Discussion and Summation
Target Audience: Health, disability, education and social care practitioners and researchers who are interested in aspects of integrated health and social care.
Learnings and Takeaway: The participants will learning some of the policy and academic foundations of Integrating Health and Social Care,
The workshop will define the scope and purpose of a SIG for Integrating Health and Social Care
References:
1- National Audit Office. Health and social care integration, Department of Health, Department Communiites and Local Government and NHS England. National Audit Office, London, UK, 2017