Intermediate care: What do we know about older people's experiences?
An overview of recent evidence on intermediate care.
The NHS Plan provided major investment for intermediate care and it now features as one of the eight core standards of the National Service Framework for Older People in England. This literature review provides an overview of recent evidence on intermediate care.
Against a backdrop of a wide range of definitions the author considers what is meant by intermediate care, and reviews recent government policy in this field. She explores what care older people themselves want and their views on the outcomes of their care. She also considers admission to hospital, the discharge process, and schemes to avoid admission or promote early discharge.
The study highlights areas needing further research and exploration, and concludes by highlighting the need to take older people’s views into account when planning the future of intermediate care.