Government backing for University of York research into greater care choice
Posted on 7 September 2005
Through its Policy Research Programme, the Department of Health is providing £1.95 million for the five-year programme, starting in 2006, which will examine how disabled adults, children and older people - and their carers - can make choices about which services they require to reflect their individual care needs.
SPRU has a long-established tradition of carrying out high quality research about disabled adults, children and older people, in which the voices of service users themselves play a prominent part
Professor Caroline Glendinning
Though current Government policy promotes increased choice in public sector services, little is known about the kinds of choices that are important to disabled and older service users or the information and support they may need to exercise them.
The new research programme will inform current and future policy developments, including proposals to test the feasibility of giving older and disabled people 'individual budgets' as a way of increasing opportunities for choosing their services. It will also contribute to wider debates about consumerism in public sector services.
The new programme builds on an established Department of Health-backed research programme in SPRU, which included new ways of consulting people about their priorities for services. This approach helped disabled and older people to maintain their quality of life and maximise their independence.
Professor Caroline Glendinning, Director of the Department of Health research programme in SPRU said: "SPRU has a long-established tradition of carrying out high quality research about disabled adults, children and older people, in which the voices of service users themselves play a prominent part. We are delighted to have the opportunity to build on these strengths and extend this research into new areas."
Notes to editors:
- More information about the Department of Health Programme can be found at: www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/summs/outcomes2001-5.htm
- The Social Policy Research Unit has an international reputation for excellence in research in social policy, especially health and social care, poverty, social security and employment. More information at www.york.ac.uk/spru