Last Updated on October 20, 2022
Researchers from Newcastle and York universities have launched a national survey to see how homecare data is collected, recorded and stored.
This survey is part of a project investigating whether it’s possible to set up a national minimum dataset (MDS) on people using homecare services, known as the DACHA-DOM study. This is an extension of a larger project, DACHA, which is already investigating a MDS for care homes.
The survey will provide information on whether the study would be supported by the sector and collect views on what sort of information it should contain. Findings from the survey will be shared with the sector, including feeding into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England's social care data and digitisation programmes, as detailed in Government’s Digital Health and Care Plan.
A MDS is the term used within health and social care to describe an agreed set of minimum information about its clients (or workforce) that needs to be collected, stored and updated. A core objective of a MDS is the pooling of data into a central repository (national or international) for use by local and national policy makers and researchers.
According to the researchers, one key challenge in defining a MDS for homecare will be to ensure that, without being overly burdensome, the information it collects is robust and includes the types of information that different stakeholder groups (e.g. homecare users and providers, policy makers, research community) believe are important.
Another key component of the DACHA-DOM study is therefore, the researchers state, a wide-ranging consultation on the content of the MDS, and what support and resources need to be in place to ensure successful implementation.
The researchers report that this will involve working with representatives of key stakeholder groups, including older people, family members, homecare providers, front-line staff, commissioners, professionals working in services which interface with homecare and policy and research organisations.
The DACHA-DOM study is running alongside major DHSC reform work, People at the Heart of Care, to transform how local authorities and social care providers are required to collect data for the DHSC which may be shared with other organisations, where appropriate, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
As part of this work, a joint DHSC and NHS England project, Data saves lives: reshaping health and social care with data, is undertaking work to identify what data needs to be collected from care providers to meet the needs of national Government, councils, Integrated Care Boards, care providers themselves and any other organisations who capture data from care providers to develop a MDS and to ensure that it would be integrated with existing data systems.
In response to the launch of this national homecare data survey, Liz Jones, Policy Director at the National Care Forum, said, 'Both the main DACHA study and the DACHA-DOM study are incredibly important and relevant for care providers as we see a huge focus on digital and data transformation in care and support services by the Government, the NHS, Integrated Care Systems and of course, care and support providers themselves. This survey offers the chance for home care providers and people using those services to share their views about what data is important to collect and why, how it should be stored and kept safe, who can see the data and for what purposes.
'The National Care Forum is part of both studies as we see that it is essential to co-produce the approach to a MDS for care homes and home care with those who provide it and those who use it. Please do complete it if you can.'
Katie Thorn, Project Lead at Digital Social Care, said, 'As the hosts of the assured supplier list for Digital Social Care Records, Digital Social Care is hugely supportive of the DACHA-DOM study. This vital project will ensure that there is proper consultation with homecare providers, people who use services and their families so that a MDS can be developed that works for everyone in the social care sector.
'This survey will give people a chance to voice what the sector needs, to talk about implementation concerns and to identify what a usable and useful MDS looks like for homecare. We encourage everyone to get involved in this consultation.'
If you own, manage or are a director of a CQC-registered homecare service, and would like to take part, complete the survey online today. The survey closes on Wednesday 16 November.
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