Taking an outcomes focussed approach to improving care for older people with dementia and other needs

Sharing resources on – and examples of experiences with – different funding mechanisms and how they can be used, will ensure system stakeholders are aware of funding options available to them. This will support the wider principles of sustainability and efficiency.

Operational functions are critical to strengthening service delivery, user engagement and data sharing and collection. This includes awareness- raising and service promotion to diversify referral routes; to reach and support underserved communities; and to recruit and retain staff and volunteers. Data functions, including collection and analysis, also need to be bolstered. If the right data is captured and used effectively it can be a valuable asset; however, training and the agreement of data sharing protocols is needed to ensure this happens.

Our findings demonstrate how vital unpaid carers are to the ecosystem that supports older people living with dementia and other needs. They provide essential care which bolsters adult social care provision, often at the expense of their own financial, emotional and physical health. It is vital that the support infrastructure for unpaid carers is recognised and invested in throughout the system. This is an area which needs further testing and funding

The programme has seeded an energetic and knowledgeable Learning Community, the power of which can be harnessed to generate widespread and sustainable change in the funding and delivery of person-centred care. This is an opportunity to reduce duplication, consider scalability of interventions, and to test thinking on service development, its funding and evolution.

Evidence shows that considering the social determinants of health and taking a person-centred approach when planning the delivery of services is essential. This encourages care providers to coordinate their approach and to deliver better health outcomes.