Piloting a minimum data set for older people living in care homes in England: a developmental study.

Background: We developed a prototype minimum data set (MDS) for English care homes, assessing feasibility of extracting data directly from digital care records (DCRs) with linkage to health and social care data.

Methods: Through stakeholder development workshops, literature reviews, surveys and public consultation, we developed an aspirational MDS. We identified ways to extract this from existing sources, including DCRs and routine health and social care datasets.

Public Involvement to Enhance Care Home Research; Collaboration on a Minimum Data Set for Care Homes.

Introduction: Information on care home residents in England is captured in numerous data sets (care home records, General Practitioner records, community nursing, etc.) but little of this information is currently analysed in a way that is useful for care providers, current or future residents and families or that realises the potential of data to enhance care provision. The DACHA study aimed to develop and test a minimum data set (MDS) which would bring together data that is useful to support and improve care and facilitate research.