Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on care home pathways, outcomes and safety of care

Project status

Ongoing

Contact

Jo Knight

Institution web page

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/people-profiles/joanne-knight

Host institution

This project led by researchers at Lancaster University in the Medical School and Data Science Institute.

Team members

Suzanne Mason, Camila Caiado, Nancy Preston, Barbara Hanratty, James Limb, Ian Dove, Elizabeth Teale, Graham King, Alex Garner, Zoe Cockshott, Rachel Stocker, Sian Russell

Funding information (if funded)

Funded by the Medical Research Council as part of the UKRI Rapid Response Initiative and is part of a broader programme investigating the effectiveness of the NHS Health Call Digital Care Home app, funded by HDRUK.

Project Summary

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on health service provision and outcomes and provide evidence required to inform the future effective, safe management of care home residents. We will analyse linked care home, community, Emergency Department and hospital admissions data from the North East (n=68 homes, >2500 residents) spanning from before to the initial lockdown period to the present. Interviews with care home staff, residents and their families will be conducted, giving deeper insight into decision making processes and the impact those affected, allowing for an in-depth description of the pandemic in the care homes of the North East.

Outputs / Expected Outputs