Example health and social care dissertation topic 6:

Co-ordinating agencies in the community: A review of case studies.

Using a case study approach, this dissertation reviews four cases in Wolverhampton involving the elderly. Charting their progression through both the NHS (as admitted patients) and thereafter as social service clients (using a variety of ‘home’ services), this dissertation first provides an overview of the services used and the communication difficulties that can arise in multi-agency working. Thereafter, through interviewing the varied actors and clients (using pseudonyms to ensure confidentiality is maintained), the dissertation highlights areas where the service offered could have been improved. Finally, in the third part of the dissertation, the dissertation provides a series of costed proposals so as to maximise the holistic care that patients and social care service users receive.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Hooyman, N.R. and Kiyak, H.A. (2008). Social gerontology: A multidisciplinary perspective. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
• K�mpers, S., Mur, I., Hardy, B., van Raak, A. and Maarse, H. (2006). ‘Integrating dementia care in England and the Netherlands: Four comparative local case studies’. Health & Place, vol. 12(4), pp. 404-420.
• Wilson, R., Baines, S., Cornford, J. and Martin, M. (2007). ”Trying to do a jigsaw without the picture on the box’: Understanding the challenges of care integration in the context of single assessment for older people in England’. International Journal of Integrated Care, vol. 7(2).