Table 2 Settings of IC facilities included in the study

Nursing home facilities (n = 5)

A more recent model of IC, these privately owned nursing home facilities which, in addition to long-term nursing care, also provided IC in varying numbers of beds purchased by the Trusts. Medical care provision in these homes ranged from daily visits to ‘when required’ visits from a contracted GP (medical officer). In addition, three of the facilities had weekly input from a consultant geriatrician.

Residential care home facilities (n = 3)

These facilities were Trust-owned residential care homes, staffed primarily by healthcare assistants (support staff who provide basic care under the guidance of qualified healthcare professionals). Of the three IC facilities in this category, two managers had nursing backgrounds and one had a social work background. There was less medical input in these facilities in comparison to the other categories and medical cover was provided by either the patients’ own GP or a local, contracted GP.

Non-acute hospital facilities (n = 4)

These were long-established facilities, sometimes referred to as ‘community hospitals’, whose services pre-date the label of IC. One facility included in this category functioned very much as a typical hospital ward with medical cover provided 24/7 by Trust medical staff including junior doctors, registrars and consultants. The three other facilities in this category also had hospital ward-like environments, although medical cover was provided on a day-time basis by local GPs whose practices were within the vicinity of the facility.