Messages for integration from working with carers
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of carers as coordinators of care in their own right. It outlines how statutory and voluntary agencies can work together to support carers in this role, yet also help them work towards personal outcomes to sustain their own quality of life. It also proposes that approaches to working with carers can reveal lessons for integration.
Design/methodology/approach
The research analysed data from focus groups and document analysis to examine how carers and professionals experienced two different approaches to engaging with carers: the Midlothian carer ' s assessment and VOCAL ' s outcomes focused approach. From this, several themes emerged which are relevant to the current debate on integration.
Findings
Carers were found to be key co-ordinators of care who play a role in the integration of services. Approaches to working with carers can better enable personal outcomes, and integrate carers as equal partners. In addition, improved integration between services can also improve outcomes for carers.
Research limitations/implications
Approaches to working with carers should be carer and outcome focused, and partnership working can mean that carers feel more empowered and included. This helps to achieve personal outcomes, as well as enhance integrated working between other services. However, differentiation between services might, in places, contribute to better outcomes for people.
Originality/value
This paper shifts the focus of integration to look the role of carers as equal partners, and also illustrates how statutory and voluntary services can work better together, while preserving their distinct identities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
© Abenet Tsegai and Rebecca Gamiz. Published by Emerald Group Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 3.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial & non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/3.0/legalcode
With thanks to VOCAL Midlothian, Midlothian Council and the PROP team: Catherine-Rose Stocks-Rankin, Claire Lightowler, Heather Wilkinson and our fellow PROP practitioner-researchers.
Citation
Tsegai, A. and Gamiz, R. (2014), "Messages for integration from working with carers", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 99-107. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-04-2014-0011
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Authors