Background
The Better Care Fund (BCF) is a policy that encourages the NHS and local councils to work together by sharing some of their funding. The aim is to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and to improve service delivery, with the right care in place afterwards.
Research
So far, only limited studies have looked at whether the BCF is working, and these were done shortly after it started. This project will take a broader look to see if the BCF is making a real difference, and how we can best measure the results of NHS and social care working more closely together.
We’re using data to look at the impact of BCF on health and care services, such as delays in hospital discharge and wellbeing. We’re also talking to people involved in running the BCF locally.
Intended impact
Our findings will advise policy makers how BCF is working. We’ll share our results in reports, papers, and easy-to-understand summaries.