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Quality of care for the increasing numbers of frail older people is an issue of international concern. Led by Professor Meyer at City University London, in partnership with Age UK and Dementia UK, My Home Life (MHL) is a collaborative movement of people involved with care homes for older people. It was established to improve the quality of life of everyone connected with care homes for older people and has become the recognised voice for the sector. The original underpinning research and ensuing projects all focused on knowledge translation, in particular the factors that enhance quality improvement in care homes. MHL actively works with care homes to progress quality improvement and share the lessons learned throughout the system. The programme has had a significant impact on both policy and practice in health and social care, influencing Government policy and supporting practice improvement across national and international borders.
For the most part, looked-after children have poorer physical and mental health than other children, and do less well educationally. Their employment prospects are poorer and they are over-represented amongst young offenders. But this is changing for the better in Northern Ireland, where research at Queen's has helped to improve the stability and quality of placements provided to looked-after children, and the support given to them when they leave care. The 2010 Demos report on children in state care in the UK used illustrations of best practice from Northern Ireland.
The University of Nottingham's Sue Ryder Care Centre for the Study of Supportive, Palliative and End of Life Care has enhanced the understanding, implementation and uptake of advance care planning for end of life care. Its work has shaped public policy and influenced national initiatives that have improved quality of life and reduced the number of deaths in hospitals. The research has been cited as an exemplar by the World Health Organisation and has helped inform policymaking at European level. It has guided professional practice, educated care staff and contributed to a more positive public attitude towards talking about end of life issues.
Adult Social Care (ASC) is a growing sector which currently employs 1.6 million care workers and benefits 1.8 million care recipients. Research carried out by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) into the recruitment, development and retention of ASC workers has had a direct impact on ASC policy, management practice and human resource (HR) practice.
In the area of health, welfare and public policy, the primary research impact was on the Adult Social Care Recruitment and Retention Strategy 2011. Among ASC managers and HR practitioners, the research findings informed and stimulated debate over the conduct of ASC work and the benefits of good HR practice.
The research has had significant impact in the UK on the development of social and spiritual support for people at the end of life and their families. With Professor Holloway as Social Care Lead on the National End of Life Care Programme (NEoLCP) since 2009, the research has underpinned the launch of a framework for the delivery of social care at the end of life which is now in its second phase of implementation. The framework is endorsed by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and has led to local and regional Action Plans and social care practice initiatives. The research on spirituality has led to scoping and training initiatives in healthcare practice and in the funerals industry within the UK and internationally.
Research at Strathclyde has focused on the abuse of children in residential care, both historical and contemporary abuse, and drawn out the implications for improving current policy and practice. These research conclusions have been central in informing local, national and international policy and practice developments, impacting on interventions for adults who have experienced abuse in care, training and education of residential child care professionals, and current residential child care services. This impact has been delivered through the research directly informing the evidence base for the Shaw Review (2007) in Scotland into lessons to be learnt from historical abuse. This Review drew upon the published research alongside commissioned accounts by the Strathclyde researchers to identify actions by the Scottish Government in this area which have been implemented by government since 2008.
Research by Professor Les Mayhew and Professor Ben Rickayzen at City University London on the question of how the public sector and the private market might jointly establish a better way of funding long-term care for the elderly has influenced policy thinking and development within the Treasury, the Department of Health, the Dilnot Commission, the actuarial profession and among ministers and parliamentarians. Evidence is provided here that shows that their research on population ageing has had an impact at the highest levels in Whitehall. In addition, Mayhew's work on integrated health and social care for Brent Council has helped to transform services at local level and provides a model that could be replicated more widely.
Research findings have informed the development of training and support for care home inspectors and toolkits for use by caring professionals, all of which are provided through the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website. Findings have also been disseminated nationally and internationally through a book aimed at practitioners and policy makers that has now been published in German and Polish and is selling strongly in Australia and the USA. The study has furthered professional and public awareness of the need for improved night-time care in care homes, in particular improved communication (from staff to residents) and training.
The University of Huddersfield's School of Education and Professional Development has produced an extensive body of research addressing the experiences and needs of educationally marginalised young people. This work has developed understanding of the experiences of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), learners in alternative education and those on low-level vocational programmes. Responding to stakeholder demands for a more nuanced insight into these problems and their possible solutions, research has been disseminated to practitioners, policymakers, voluntary organisations, local authorities and the wider public through conference presentations, keynote addresses and the media, benefiting user communities at local, regional and national levels.
Research carried out in the International Observatory on End of Life Care (IOELC) at Lancaster University led by Professor Payne has played a major role in influencing the strategic direction of service and policy development globally. IOELC initiated the systematic collation of development data and delivered the first research-based international analysis of the development of palliative care. For example, research on access to opioids in 12 resource poor countries in central and eastern Europe via the ATOME project has delivered major impact, leading to significant changes in legislation and policy and improved access to pain medication, and palliative and end of life care for millions of people around the world.