Table 2 IPW working: the example of intermediate care

Just under half of respondents reported that in their experience delivery of Intermediate Care involved more than 20 professionals working together.

Referral:

Intermediate Care services were most likely to be delivered through agreed referral pathways (39% - 47%) or eligibility criterion (32%) or some combination of the two (18%-28%).

Information Sharing:

In terms of Information sharing, professionals reported that they use shared assessments (9)-15.8%), 18 (31.6) said they used all methods of information sharing: i.e. Shared Assessments, Shared notes, Shared Care Plans, Shared learning. Most 22 (39%) said that they used 'some of these methods'. The questionnaire construction did not allow respondents to state which methods were used sometimes. But logically we can assume that the majority of professionals were using Shared Assessments (9 who chose that method plus the 18 who said they used 'all these methods').

Communication:

The most typical method of communication used to support/facilitate inter-professional working in the delivery of Intermediate Care was reported to be face to face meetings (39%-48%). The least used was email (9%-14%) while telephone communication was used by just over a quarter of professionals (32% -34%). The findings suggest that while face to face meetings were the preferred method for communication this method was used in conjunction with telephone and email.

Decision Making:

Decision making by protocol emerged as the most significant pattern of decision making for Intermediate Care (67%)

Funding:

Funding was most often organised under separate budgets for Intermediate Care (67%). It is worth noting that separate budgets was also highlighted as most typical (71%) of the structure for the other four services (Continuing Care for Older People, Falls Prevention, COPD and Re-enablement Services) identified by respondents as services they had knowledge and experience of.

Patterns of Contact:

The survey findings indicate that the level of contact professionals have with their client when delivering Intermediate Care was variable both in terms of the time-point in the care delivery (say in week 2 compared to week 20) and with regard to the type of professionals (social worker, housing officer, district nurse). Professionals did not practice any particular pattern of contact with clients but contact developed on individualised basis even when the service involvement was time limited.