Safety of older patients in home care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Safety of older patients in home care
IRAS ID
125917
Contact name
Anam Parand
Contact email
Research summary
Little is known about patient safety in the home,(Madigan 2007, Lang, Edwards et al. 2008, Masotti, McColl et al. 2010) despite patients increasingly experiencing some form of continued care within their own home. Further research is needed to identify other contributory factors of adverse events in the home,(Masotti, Green et al. 2007) particularly in the UK. Within the home, a significant number of older people have carers to help with their care, who may transform their quality of care, safety outcomes and patient involvement in their care.(Donelan, Hill et al. 2002)
This project intends to explore the adverse events, their contributory factors, safety interventions, and the role of carers/self in patient safety in the home of older frail patients. Eligibility of older frail patients is a person over the age of 65 that has at least one carer. Study methodology will be interviews with older patients and their carers. These carers include informal carers (family members and private carers) and formal carers from health and social care: General Practioners (GPs)/General Nurse Practioners, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Home Care Agency staff, and District Community Nurses/Matrons.
The interviews will last between 15-30 minutes and are to be held within the clinical settings of a GP practice or hospital, or within the home of the patient if the patient prefers. There will be three similar topic guides, one for healthcare professionals, one for family members and one for formal healthcare professional carers. This topic guide include the following themes: Demographics, health, risks at home, contributory factors & challenges, risk/self-management, safety interventions, carers’ role in safety, compassion & dignity, and psycho-social influences on care/safety.REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1319
Date of REC Opinion
22 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion