Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Levels of integration and specialisation within professional community teams for people with dementia
AU - Abendstern, Michele
AU - Reilly, Siobhan
AU - Hughes, Jane
AU - Venables, Dan
AU - Challis, David
PY - 2006/1
Y1 - 2006/1
N2 - BackgroundDelivering integrated and specialist mental health services for the growing population of older people with dementia in Britain is a key concern of the present government.AimsTo consider the nature of current practice among multi-disciplinary and single discipline health and social care teams providing a service to people with dementia and compare the quality of service offered.MethodsA postal survey of professional community teams in North West England, providing services to people with dementia. Responses were analysed according to a number of standards measuring service quality, developed from research and policy documents. A response rate of 59% yielded a final sample of 52 teams.ResultsMulti-disciplinary teams scored more highly than single discipline teams on many of the measures used. Single discipline teams achieved a higher score on just one measure, culturally sensitive services. Generally teams were found to provide a more integrated, targeted and person-centred service, as measured in this study, compared with earlier findings. Teams performed less well on measures of flexibility and culturally sensitive provision.ConclusionsThese findings indicate some potential gains from integration, and highlight the level of work still needed to achieve it. Further research is needed to build on the structural and process measures used in this research in order that the costs and outcomes consequent upon these practices can be measured.
AB - BackgroundDelivering integrated and specialist mental health services for the growing population of older people with dementia in Britain is a key concern of the present government.AimsTo consider the nature of current practice among multi-disciplinary and single discipline health and social care teams providing a service to people with dementia and compare the quality of service offered.MethodsA postal survey of professional community teams in North West England, providing services to people with dementia. Responses were analysed according to a number of standards measuring service quality, developed from research and policy documents. A response rate of 59% yielded a final sample of 52 teams.ResultsMulti-disciplinary teams scored more highly than single discipline teams on many of the measures used. Single discipline teams achieved a higher score on just one measure, culturally sensitive services. Generally teams were found to provide a more integrated, targeted and person-centred service, as measured in this study, compared with earlier findings. Teams performed less well on measures of flexibility and culturally sensitive provision.ConclusionsThese findings indicate some potential gains from integration, and highlight the level of work still needed to achieve it. Further research is needed to build on the structural and process measures used in this research in order that the costs and outcomes consequent upon these practices can be measured.
KW - Aged
KW - Caregivers
KW - Community Health Services
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Delivery of Health Care, Integrated
KW - Dementia
KW - England
KW - Health Care Surveys
KW - Health Services Accessibility
KW - Health Services for the Aged
KW - Humans
KW - Needs Assessment
KW - Patient Care Planning
KW - Patient Care Team
KW - Patient-Centered Care
KW - Quality of Health Care
KW - Specialization
U2 - 10.1002/gps.1427
DO - 10.1002/gps.1427
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 16323254
VL - 21
SP - 77
EP - 85
JO - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
JF - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
SN - 0885-6230
IS - 1
ER -