Developing a minimum dataset for homecare: The DACHA DOM study

SPRU research team

• Professor Bryony Beresford (Co-Chief Investigator)
• Dr Janice Healey (Research Associate)
• Dr Gareth O'Rourke (Research Fellow)

Co-Investigators

• Professor Barbara Hanratty - Co-Chief Investigator
• Dr Jenny Liddle - Research Fellow
• Dr Vanessa Davey - Research Associate

Background

Over one million older people in the UK use homecare services.  However, we know very little about this population: what their needs are, the types of care they are receiving and how their needs and care evolve over time. This is because there is no systematic approach to recording information, and whether or not it is made available to other services involved in a person’s care. In addition, there is no system for gathered this information together to provide a national picture.  This means that there is limited information and evidence available to policy makers, commissioners, homecare providers as they make decisions and plan services. 

A ‘minimum dataset’ (MDS) is a solution to this. This specifies the core information that needs to be recorded in order to understand about the people using a service, the care they receive and how needs and outcomes change over time.

Purpose of the research

The aim is to develop a minimum dataset for homecare, and identify the support and resources required to support its use and implementation. The study is nested in a larger programme of work led by the University of Hertfordshire that is developing and piloting the implementation of a minimum dataset (MDS) in care homes (The DACHA Study).

What we will do

The study has three main components:

1. A scoping review will to identify what’s happening in other countries in terms of the data they collect about homecare users, and how they use it.
2. A survey of homecare providers will collect information on data homecare services currently collect, their use of digital records, how they use their data and their views on contributing to a national minimum dataset for homecare.
3. Wide-ranging consultation work with key stakeholder groups (care recipients, family members, homecare providers, homecare workers, NHS professionals and researchers) will explore:

• the information a minimum dataset for homecare should contain
• the issues that need to be considered when asking people to share data about themselves
• what support and resources need to be in place to support a minimum dataset for homecare being rolled out.

Advisory groups

The study has two advisory groups which the team meets with regularly. A Family Advisory Group comprising members of the public with personal experience of homecare, and a Homecare Professionals Group.

For more information, please contact Bryony Beresford.