Summary of the impact

The importance of person-centred social support has been recognised by successive governments as central to the development of effective and supportive social care services. The research led by Brunel and funded by the DoH and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, made a substantial contribution to the enhancement of UK social care policy and practice in relation to the personalisation agenda. Parliamentary committees and policy consultation used the research to develop new social care policy. Standards of service care delivery were developed and implemented in partnership with service users; these were adopted at a policy and practice level. The development and use of evidence based practice guides, training programmes and web resources facilitated the successful adoption and implementation of person-centred support nationwide. In summary, public debate was influenced, equality and empowerment for service users was advanced, national policy and practice enhanced, health and welfare improved and economic impacts achieved.

Summary of the impact

In a context of austerity and shrinking public provision, developed societies are turning to new technologies such as telecare for health/social care provision, and biosensors to facilitate citizens' active self-care. Maggie Mort, Celia Roberts and Adrian Mackenzie's research explores the overlooked ethical and social aspects of this trend focussing on ageing, reproduction and genetics. Through innovative engagements with policy makers, industry, citizens, health experts and practitioners, we provide empirical intelligence about how remote care for older people living at home (telecare) and providing users with bodily data (biosensing) work in practice. Because the views and experience of users and citizens underpin our research, our interventions confer much-needed legitimacy on subsequent decisions about health care technologies and provision. Our recommendations are adopted in local authority service re-design and have shaped corporate decision-making about product development.

Summary of the impact

Twelve years of our research into users' information behaviour has helped a wide variety of learners and Internet users to interact better with web-based information by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to develop their own agile models of information behaviour in the web environment. It has produced practical tools such as a toolkit for service providers, a methods book and awe-based resources evaluation framework that are employed nationally and internationally in secondary and higher education. The research is benefiting librarians, educators and learners dealing with complex information environments. Within the LIS (Library and Information Science) community, researchers, academics and practitioners are also benefiting from training current and next generation practitioners in the user engagement methods developed during the research.

Summary of the impact

This case study reports on two projects in the field of public service interpreting and translation:

1) Supporting third sector organisations in providing assistance to non-UK nationals through a volunteer trainee community interpreter engagement project, developed in partnership with voluntary and community sector service providers.

2) Improving understanding of the ethical issues confronted in interpreting practice in welfare service delivery settings, through research on professional inter-cultures, obtained between service providers and interpreters in welfare service delivery.

Summary of the impact

This research into what is believed to be one of the largest care home closures programmes in Europe had three key impacts in terms of:

• Helping to design the initial closure process at local level
• Evaluating outcomes of the subsequent closures to ensure that local policy and practice were safe (for frail older people in potentially very vulnerable situations)
• Producing national guidance for all English Councils on managing care home closures and contributing to local/national planning and a change in public opinion regarding care home closure in the wake of the Southern Cross scandal.

Summary of the impact

A major element of modernising English adult social care is the introduction of individual, user-directed budgets. The Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) led a major, multi-method and multi-centre research programme evaluating the Individual Budget (IB) pilot projects in England; and a linked study of the impact of IBs on family carers. Through this, SPRU has influenced: the content of the Department of Health's (DH) good practice guidance for personal budgets; the DH's approach to piloting and evaluating NHS Personal Health Budgets; the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) piloting and evaluation of `Right to Control' trailblazer projects; and, the agenda for an Audit Commission investigation into financial management of personal budgets. Most importantly, it has helped shape the agenda for national and local organisations striving to successfully implement personal budgets, particularly for older people.

Summary of the impact

The Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) research programme is a project funded by Policy Research Programme Department of Health and led by academic staff at City University London which investigates how technology can help people manage their health and safety while maintaining their independence. The WSD evaluation provides scientific evidence that has influenced and continues to influence public policy debate in the UK and internationally. It has shaped UK Department of Health policy and strategies regarding deployment of tele-assistive devices to meet the growing health and social care demands in a changing population. And it is helping to shape manufacturers' design of services with the user in mind and how health and social care providers offer tele-assistive services.

Summary of the impact

This case study focuses on the research conducted by members of the UoA examining the services offered to service users and carers in secure settings. This includes forensic mental health services and prisons. It has had a significant impact on the development of professional practice in secure settings based on the views, experiences, and needs of service users and carers. It has established service user and carer engagement in research conducted in secure settings. It has also informed service and policy developments in the United Kingdom and internationally.

Summary of the impact

This research improved policy-makers' and practitioners' understanding of well-being among residents of social care facilities by identifying the factors contributing to residents' quality of life. This research resulted in the development of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT), whose use is rapidly increasing both in the UK and internationally. Evidence from beneficiaries including policy-makers, experts and service practitioners, as well as interviews with service users, indicates that ASCOT captures aspects of well-being that are highly valued by service users and policy-makers alike.

Summary of the impact

Research on telehealthcare at the University of Stirling has guided the delivery of telehealthcare at home in West Lothian Scotland in the first instance, subsequently influencing decisions to adopt and implement telehealthcare in communities in Norway, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, the Western Isles and Shetland. Research was translated into the MAST (Methodology for the ASessment of Telemedicine) manual, a practical tool which has been used across Europe by decision makers considering telehealthcare implementation. Through the DSDC (Dementia Services Development Centre) at the University, telehealthcare information and guidance has been provided to thousands of service providers and family care givers.