Study shows the benefits of minimum dataset prototype for people living in care homes
The DACHA study (Developing research resources and minimum data set for care homes’ adoption) led by the University of Hertfordshire – in collaboration with 10 other universities and senior partners – has shown how a minimum dataset (MDS) prototype can be used to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of care in care homes.
Currently, despite the digitalisation of patient and social care records, there is no standardised approach for recording or linking data between care homes, the NHS and other social care services.
The content of the MDS prototype – a first in the UK using routine data from both health and social care – was developed through evidence reviews, national surveys and consultations. It links data from residents’ digital care records with information held about them in NHS and social care databases. To prove that linking data in this way is feasible and valuable, it was then tested in 45 care homes across England.
DACHA was led by Claire Goodman MBE, Professor of Health Care Research at the University of Hertfordshire, who says:
“Most people living in care homes have multiple long-term conditions, such as dementia, diabetes, or heart failure that affect them in different ways. Shared data can enable health and care professionals to discuss their care and to review the events leading up to crises or hospital admissions and the factors that may have contributed to it. Without information on a person’s baseline mobility, how their dementia affects them, recent weight loss, or their individual priorities, clinicians only get a partial picture of what is happening which in turn can affect clinical decision-making.
The UK holds a wealth of routine health and social care data, but having data is not enough. When structured and shared, this everyday data can be a powerful tool that can ensure targeted NHS support to help reduce unplanned hospital admissions, enable personalised care planning, and improve resident wellbeing and safety.”
DACHA was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and supported by NIHR ARC East of England. The NIHR has shared the key findings from the study in this Synopsis Report:https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hsdr/published-articles/PKFR6453
Find out more about the DACHA study here: https://dachastudy.com