Partnership working in the long-term care system for older people: cross-national learning from England, the Netherlands and Taiwan

Abstract

This paper based on qualitative cross-national research at national, municipal and local level in England, the Netherlands and Taiwan explores whether relevant actors were sharing the same goals, whether they communicated well with each other and whether they were working together with the service users. Through horizontal and vertical partnership analysis, the study found the care actors from top to bottom were not always sharing the same goals and priorities about how long-term care should be delivered. The split between health and social care in the care system has constituted a great challenge in working in partnership in English and Taiwanese practice. Whereas having a strong culture and ideology of solidarity and consultation embedded in the care system has helped the Dutch care actors to have a more equal working partnership. Most importantly, the involvement of all the care actors in policy and practice planning and decision making is crucial if a better joint-working structure to fulfil the policy intention of providing a seamless long-term care service in practice is to be achieved.