Health and social care
In this strand we aim to better understand the pattern of care in Scotland. We are exploring the factors impacting on the types of care people have access to and receive (whether provided by health services, social care providers, or informally by family or friends), and how different types of health and care impact on one another.
Lead: Dr Iain Atherton, Edinburgh Napier University
Policies over decades in Scotland have aimed to shift the balance of care away from institutional and acute settings to the community. Care provision often requires inputs from many different professionals and providers and there is no single source of information on care provision or on outcomes. Our research can help policymakers and service providers better understand the whole picture of care in Scotland, and plan for the future.
Our work will support two key areas of Scottish Government policy:
- the integration of health and social care
- the support of informal care
Our research will also provide information to government and society about the sources of inequalities in access to health and social care, and the impact this can have on outcomes for people.
During the pandemic, we have developed research to better understand the health and social care effects of Covid-19 on the Scottish population.
