Outcomes of social care for adults: attitudes towards collecting outcome information in practice.

Abstract

This paper discusses the findings of three studies of perspectives on social care outcomes undertaken by the Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of York. The findings are related to conceptual and policy issues relevant to the idea of using outcome information in assessing performance. Respondents were managers in social services, academics, and organizations of disabled people, older people and carers. People gave their views on why outcomes were important, and what they perceived as the obstacles to implementing ways of looking at outcomes in routine or regular practice in social care. In principle, attitudes towards the collection and use of outcome information were overwhelmingly positive: results for service users and carers were at the heart of 'authentic' ideas of effectiveness, and were potentially of value in improving accountability and informing the decisions and activities of both purchasers and providers. However, a number of obstacles to implementing practical systems were identified including conceptual and technical issues, professional and organizational culture, resource constraints and the emphasis on assessment at the expense of review.