Exploring patterns of care coordination within services for older people

Abstract

Introduction Supporting frail older people at home is an international policy objective. This article explored variations in care coordination arrangements and their relationship with service level outcomes using England as a case study. Method Survey data and routinely generated data collected in 2006 from 119 local authorities responsible for social care were combined. Using cluster analysis, distinct groups were identified with regard to forms of care coordination. Results Considerable variation was evident both within and between different types of care coordination, reflecting implementation guidance. Links with service level outcomes were weak, the most notable being the provision of intensive home care, a component of intensive care management. Discussion Thus this study, using agency level data, confirmed the variability in care coordination arrangements and the relative absence of intensive care management, central to shifting the balance of care from residential and nursing provision to care at home.