Evaluating models of care closer to home for children and young people who are ill

To find evidence about delivering care closer to home (CCTH) for ill children

Parker, G., Spiers, G., Gridley, K., Atkin, K., Cusworth, L., Mukherjee, S., Birks, Y., Lowson, K., Wright, D., and Light, K.
2011
Research Works, 2011-03
Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, York

Abstract

Standard six of the National Service Framework (NSF) for Children, Young People and Maternity Services recommends that care for ill children should be delivered as close to home as possible. This research aimed to find evidence about delivering care closer to home (CCTH) for ill children, particularly in relation to: the range and extent of provision, the implications of CCTH for those who plan, deliver, and use such

services, and cost effectiveness.

Key findings

Through a national survey of English Primary Care Trusts, Acute Trusts and Children’s Hospices, we identified three relatively distinct ‘clusters’ of services: specialist, hospital-based services; generic, community-based services; and a third cluster of mainly therapy-type services.
Using four case studies, we found that a number of factors influenced the development and delivery of CCTH.
At an organisational level:

- A lack of evidence made it difficult to develop CCTH. Problems defining and quantifying its effectiveness made collecting robust data difficult.

- Good relationships between commissioners and providers were important in developing CCTH services. Competition rules had, however, made this more difficult for some.

Further information:

http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/pubs/rworks/2011-03April.pdf