The second national audit of intermediate care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Services Research
• Health Policy and Management
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Intermediate care services are crucial for timely hospital discharge and as an alternative to emergency admissions.
• Concerns regarding quality, outcomes, and provision of intermediate care in the NHS arose due to inconsistent evidence and governance.
• The National Audit of Intermediate Care was established to address these concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the quality, outcomes, and provision of intermediate care services within the NHS.
• To identify areas for improvement in strategic planning, service access, and patient involvement.

Main Methods:

• The study involved the second National Audit of Intermediate Care, reporting in 2013.
• It encompassed crisis response teams, home-based, and bed-based intermediate care services.
• Approximately half of NHS services were included in the audit.

Main Results:

• Significant findings included weak local strategic planning and considerable under-provision of services.
• Delays in accessing intermediate care and a lack of mental health involvement were identified.
• Patient experience was highly positive across all service types, but involvement in care decisions was less satisfactory.

Conclusions:

• The audit highlighted critical gaps in intermediate care service provision and strategic oversight within the NHS.
• While patient experience is positive, improvements are needed in service accessibility, mental health integration, and patient participation in decision-making.
• Addressing these issues is vital for optimizing intermediate care's role in healthcare delivery.