A new research project funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent Surrey Sussex (ARC KSS) will explore movement between care settings, and the working lives and practices of care workers.
COVID-19 continues to present a major challenge to community care settings, with new fears and responsibilities relating to infection and protection from infection for the many people who provide and require care, whether in a residential or own home setting.
With a particular focus on care for older adults, researchers will aim to understand the challenges and concerns that care managers, care workers, clients and their families experience in the context of COVID-19 and the implementation and understanding of guidance.
The study is part of ARC KSS’s rapid response to COVID-19, with preliminary findings available later this year. Professor Jackie Cassell, Deputy Dean of Brighton & Sussex Medical School and Principal Investigator for this project, said “We are very aware of the pressures that the care sector is under and want to discover what solutions they think could improve their working lives, the safety of their clients and themselves.”
“We hope that the project’s findings can have multiple impacts, from influencing policymakers, supporting employers with how they communicate policies and guidance with staff, providing reassurance and also providing content for online training.”
If you would like to find out more about the research, please contact Leanne Bogen-Johnston (L.R.Bogen-Johnston@sussex.ac.uk) or Lavinia Bertini (L.Bertini@sussex.ac.uk) at Sussex University.