Abstract
Background
In England, care homes provide essential 24-hour care to over 450,000 older people with complex physical, cognitive and psychosocial needs(Oliver, Foot et al. 2014, NICE 2015). The future of care is in community settings(NHS England 2016), but there is limited empirical evidence that explores safety in this context. Recent Care Quality Commission (2015) reports have rated 10% of adult social care services ‘inadequate’ for safety. Care homes are a dynamic setting predominantly led by a non-professional workforce, with 73% of care homes in England having no nursing provision(NICE 2015). Providing care as peoples homes, staff face the challenge of maintaining safety while maximising independence. As such, research should be undertaken to explore how this workforce makes sense of safety, and the interplay between risk, responsibility and vulnerability.
Methods
Exploratory qualitative semi-structured interviews with 17 care home staff across two sites. Occupational groups included; Maintenance, Activity Coordinator, Domestic, Carers, Nurses, Managers, Laundry and Housekeeping.
Results
Emerging themes include:
-The line between safety/risk and promoting independence and choice for older people.
-The place of vulnerability in making decisions around safety.
-The importance of this care setting as peoples’ homes.
-The place of individualised, person-centred care.
-Key safety topics that are perceived to be important across occupational groups in care homes.
Conclusions
Detailed insight into how care home staff understand safety and the place of risk, responsibility and vulnerability. Shedding light on the role of the organisation, staff, residents and their family, in the negotiation of safety and risk, whilst maximising independence and autonomy.
Implications
Empirical evidence sheds light on safety understanding and practice in a non-professional workforce. Highlighting priorities for training and interventions in the future. This project will inform future ESRC doctoral research.
In England, care homes provide essential 24-hour care to over 450,000 older people with complex physical, cognitive and psychosocial needs(Oliver, Foot et al. 2014, NICE 2015). The future of care is in community settings(NHS England 2016), but there is limited empirical evidence that explores safety in this context. Recent Care Quality Commission (2015) reports have rated 10% of adult social care services ‘inadequate’ for safety. Care homes are a dynamic setting predominantly led by a non-professional workforce, with 73% of care homes in England having no nursing provision(NICE 2015). Providing care as peoples homes, staff face the challenge of maintaining safety while maximising independence. As such, research should be undertaken to explore how this workforce makes sense of safety, and the interplay between risk, responsibility and vulnerability.
Methods
Exploratory qualitative semi-structured interviews with 17 care home staff across two sites. Occupational groups included; Maintenance, Activity Coordinator, Domestic, Carers, Nurses, Managers, Laundry and Housekeeping.
Results
Emerging themes include:
-The line between safety/risk and promoting independence and choice for older people.
-The place of vulnerability in making decisions around safety.
-The importance of this care setting as peoples’ homes.
-The place of individualised, person-centred care.
-Key safety topics that are perceived to be important across occupational groups in care homes.
Conclusions
Detailed insight into how care home staff understand safety and the place of risk, responsibility and vulnerability. Shedding light on the role of the organisation, staff, residents and their family, in the negotiation of safety and risk, whilst maximising independence and autonomy.
Implications
Empirical evidence sheds light on safety understanding and practice in a non-professional workforce. Highlighting priorities for training and interventions in the future. This project will inform future ESRC doctoral research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Engage, Enthuse, Empower Annual Research and Education Conference, Nottingham University Hospitals - Nottingham, United Kingdom Duration: 16 Jun 2016 → 16 Jun 2016 |
Conference
| Conference | Engage, Enthuse, Empower Annual Research and Education Conference, Nottingham University Hospitals |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
| City | Nottingham |
| Period | 16/06/16 → 16/06/16 |