Call for participants
Service provider focus groups on monitoring quality and outcomes
Following the Winterbourne View scandal, transforming care for people with learning disabilities or autism and challenging behaviour or a mental health condition is a national priority. The national transformation plan Building the Right Support sets an ambition to close 35-50% of inpatient capacity in three years, and drive improved quality of care and quality of life, and reduce reliance on inpatient care at the local level.
The Quality and Outcomes Research Unit at the University of Kent is conducting a study to gather the views of community-based service providers on the ways quality of support and outcomes are currently monitored. This is part of a broader scoping and feasibility study, which will inform recommendations as to the possible design for the large-scale Transforming Care evaluation. The study is funded by the Department of Health and been approved by the Tizard Research Ethics Committee and Kent Research Governance committee.
As part of this study we would like to invite you to take part in a focus group to discuss topics related to the monitoring of quality of support and outcomes in services for people with learning disabilities, autism or both. Focus groups will bring together representatives responsible for quality assurance and monitoring in organisations from different sectors and of different sizes. We are particularly looking to include organisations which provide support for those who are considered to show behaviour that can be described as challenging and those who are currently providing support for people who have at some point been in inpatient services, or are at risk of being admitted to inpatient services.
Focus groups will take place on the following dates:
| Date | Time | Venue | |
| 1 | 4th September 2017 | 11.00 – 13.00 | London School of Economics – Connaught House Room CON.7.04 |
| 2 | 6th September 2017 | 11.00 – 13.00 | London School of Economics – Connaught House Room CON.7.04 |
- Connaught House is fully accessible and is marked CON on the campus maphttp://www.lse.ac.uk/lse-information/Campus-Map
The discussion will be facilitated by Professor Julie Beadle-Brown and it is expected to last up to 2 hours. Refreshments will be provided and participants’ organisations will receive a payment to cover expenses.
If you are interested in taking part in one of the focus groups, please contact Agnes Turnpenny at A.V.Turnpenny@kent.ac.uk , before the 28 August 2017, indicating your preferred date and any additional requirements.
We look forward to hearing from you
Professor Julie Beadle-Brown