An ‘inclusive’ model of integrated care

Purpose: To explore the presence, nature and development of integrated care in community services. Theory: To explore the concept of an ‘inclusive’ model of integrated care, which is defined in this study as sustained integrated care for all client groups, with multiple simultaneous types of integrated working. This challenges the predominance of the model found in the literature which focuses on short-term projects for older people focusing on one type of integrated working. Methods: Secondary analysis of data from staff questionnaires for 66 community services were analysed from two case studies: the community hospital programme in England and the ICON programme in Ireland. Results and conclusions: Multiple and simultaneous types of integration were recorded for community hospital services for all client groups, with an average of 4.4 types of the 8 types studied. Evidence for established integrated working was found in the literature on community hospitals as well as in the case studies. Progress with developing processes to support integrated working was recorded in the ICON programme for all client groups. The study has shown the presence of an ‘inclusive’ model of integrated care in community services. Discussion: The study has contributed an assessment tool and led to the development of a new ethical framework for integrated care.