Understanding and measuring safety in older adult care homes

Nick Smith

April 2022

NIHR PRU Showcase Webinar, 6 April 2022

This presentation talks about a study which explores what safety means and how it is measured in older adult care homes. The first stage of the study reviewed research on safety and reports of safety incidents in care homes. The second stage interviewed people who worked in policy, inspection, regulation and commissioning roles at care home providers, local authorities, the care quality commission, and the NHS. In the current third stage, those who work in older adult care homes are being interviewed.

Findings suggest that:

• Safety indicators from healthcare are relevant to older adult care homes, but it is important to recognise that the context of older adult care homes differs from that of healthcare.
• Safety in care homes also depends on factors outside of care homes.
• Stakeholders have a broad view of what safety data is.
• Lots of data on safety in older adult care homes is collected, but its use is often limited.
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FURTHER INFORMATION

Nick Smith, n.j.smith@kent.ac.uk.

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