CompletedObservational

New ways of working for adult social care workers

This study explores a new approach in Greater Manchester where social care workers take on some tasks usually done by community nurses. With more people needing care and a shortage of staff, this 'blending of roles' aims to improve how care is given. We're looking into whether this change helps people receiving care and makes jobs better for social care workers – and if it improves the overall quality of adult social care. We'll speak to care staff, people receiving care, and their families to understand their experiences. Our goal is to create a toolkit that helps other areas introduce blended roles effectively, making care better for everyone. This research is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and runs from October 2024 to September 2026.

At a glance

Status

Completed

Sponsor

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Enrolment target

Start

02 Jan 2025

Estimated completion

01 Oct 2025

Delegated healthcare pilots

What is this study about?

Our local communities in England are seeing more and more older people, which is wonderful! However, it also means more people need support with daily tasks, often called 'social care,' either at home or in care homes. This care is provided by dedicated social care workers. At the same time, many of these individuals might also need healthcare, which is usually provided by community nurses.

Sometimes, this can lead to issues, such as people getting many visits from different staff members, or even some visits being missed. We also have a shortage of social care workers, which puts a lot of strain on our health and social care services. To help solve these challenges, we're exploring an idea called 'blending roles.' This is where social care workers might take on some of the tasks that a community nurse would typically do. While some places are already trying this, we don't yet have enough clear information to know how well it works and what improvements it can bring.

This research project focuses on understanding these blended roles in Greater Manchester, specifically looking at how NHS community nurses and care workers from private care companies work together. We want to hear from people receiving care, their families, and staff about their experiences. Our aim is to figure out whether blending roles makes things better for people needing care, improves working life for care staff, and generally raises the quality of adult social care. We’ll use this information to create a guide and tools to help other areas put blended roles into practice in a way that truly benefits everyone.

Key takeaways

This study looks at social care workers taking on some nursing tasks ('blended roles').
It aims to improve care for people and make working conditions better for staff.
The research is happening in Greater Manchester and involves speaking to staff and people receiving care.
Findings will be used to create guides for other areas to adopt blended roles.
Participants will receive a £25 voucher for their interview.
Your privacy is protected, and taking part won't affect your employment or care.

Who may be eligible?

This study is particularly for adults aged 16 to 100 years old. We are looking for people who are already involved in the 'blended roles' pilot programmes in Greater Manchester. This means you would be either a social care worker or a community nurse participating in these new ways of working, or a person receiving care who has experience with these blended roles.

If you are a person receiving care, it's important that you are able to understand what is involved and give your agreement to take part. This is called 'having the capacity to consent.'

If you haven't been part of these specific blended roles pilots, then unfortunately, this study isn't suitable for you at this time. We are specifically focusing on understanding the experiences of those already trying out these new ways of working.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 16 years old or older?
Have you been involved in the 'blended roles' pilot programmes in Greater Manchester?
If you receive care, are you able to understand and agree to take part?
Are you either a social care worker, a community nurse, or someone receiving care in these pilots?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you would primarily be asked to have a chat (an interview) with one of our researchers. This interview would be about your experiences with the new, blended roles in social care – whether you are a care worker, a nurse, or a person receiving care. The team has already worked with health and social care partners and groups representing people receiving care to plan how the study will run. We will hold further meetings with these groups to review the collected information, help design the toolkit for future use, and decide the best ways to share our findings. The main report and toolkit will be shared widely, and we will also create easy-to-read summaries so that people receiving care understand any changes. Finally, workshops will be held to share what we've learned with different groups involved.

Potential risks and benefits

By sharing your experiences, you'll be helping us understand how these new ways of working (blended roles) are truly working on the ground. This could lead to better care for people and improved working conditions for staff in the future. To thank you for your time, care workers and people receiving care will get a £25 voucher if they take part in an interview, which you can keep even if you later change your mind and decide not to continue. While talking about your experiences should generally be low risk, sometimes discussing personal situations can be upsetting. If this happens, we will stop the interview, offer you support, and if you wish, help you find further help elsewhere. Your information will be kept private and anonymous, and taking part will not affect your employment or care. However, if any serious safety concerns come up during the interview, we might need to report these to ensure everyone's safety.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
City only
Ashton-under-lyne, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is 'blending roles'?

It means social care workers taking on some tasks usually done by community nurses, to provide more joined-up care.

Who is funding this research?

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in the UK.

How long will the study run for?

The study is expected to run from October 2024 to September 2026.

Will my answers be kept private?

Yes, all information you provide will be confidential and anonymous.

What happens after the study finishes?

The research will create a 'toolkit' and guides to help other areas put blended roles into practice effectively, aiming to improve care.

How to find out more

Carol Atkinson

c.d.atkinson@mmu.ac.uk +44 (0)161 247 2000 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.