SET4 Workshop – 28.03.24 - Reflection – Kirsty Cartin

Care homes must be actively involved in research. The care home sector is continuously evolving to meet the increasing needs of older adults with multiple long-term conditions. We need to ensure that we are effectively meeting these needs, both proactively and reactively. We need to ensure that we are collaborating with the right people to provide truly holistic care, which is delivered by the right people, at the right time and in the right place.

I was therefore excited to attend the ACRC workshop on improving healthcare for people with multiple long-term conditions using the Systems Thinking approach (SET4). I have seen some poor care transitions in the past years, and they seem to be increasing. There is so much talk of integration and collaboration between health and social care but from the perspective of care transitions, this isn’t always the case. There is a need to investigate why care transitions aren’t good and what can be done within systems to improve this – to ensure everyone receives quality care.

I appreciated the different experiences shared by those present – from different backgrounds. Discussions focused on aspects such as poor communication, care homes having no access to resident’s medical history and there being no equity in preventative care measures such as provision of specialist equipment between care homes and hospital/ community. I found hearing other’s experiences, very affirming.

As a group, we also discussed how we can measure good care, and this led to further questions such as what good care is and whether this is circumstantial? These conversations always leave me feeling curious to find out more.

I look forward to hearing more about the ACRC study and being involved in more PPI workshops – research must be directed by those with lived experience to ensure it can be translated into practical and achievable outcomes.