In the current climate of service reorganisation and sensitivity surrounding cost, it is clear that commissioners and providers in the health and social care economy are striving to strengthen integrated care as a means of improving quality and reducing costs (Curry and Ham 2010; Ham and Walsh 2013). Across England, health and social care systems are having to confront many pressures. For example, most of the funding is tied up in acute and long term social care, current NHS contracts are widely regarded as insufficient for the transformation agenda with block contracts stifling innovation, and Payment by Results does not incentivise the reduction in admissions or social care changes but in fact acts as a perverse incentive (Curry et al 2011). In addition, Advanced Assistive Technology should be embedded within integrated care but is often peripheral. ….more
Contracting for integrated health and social care: a critical review of four models
