2Joined-up care
Many people using social care are receiving health care at the same time. How well these services work together can have a dramatic effect on a person’s experience of care.
A study of a typical area of the country found that nine out of ten people using social care services were also receiving secondary health care. People want:
- the different strands of their care to be properly integrated so that their care feels seamless.
- their journey through the care system to be as simple as possible, and not to be passed 'from pillar to post' before their needs are met.
Joined-up care relies on different services working together in a well-coordinated way that isn’t limited by bureaucratic boundaries. For example, there is a need for good communication between:
- a hospital and a general practice every time a patient is discharged;
- children’s care services and adult care services when young people move from one to the other.
Find out about the benefits of joined-up care
Watch a video about joined-up care
Read your stories
- Read Gordon's story about how getting the right support enables him to look after his wife in their own home
- Read Ally's story about how joined-up care has supported her through a crisis and to get on with her life
Get an overview
