King's College London

Three inter-linked developmental work packages (DWPs) will be undertaken and the objectives are to:

• DWP1: (i) describe current knowledge and practices for screening and identification of footcare needs in care homes. (ii) explore care home staff perceptions of footcare knowledge and practice(s). (iii) understand system-level barriers and facilitators to supporting care staff to develop new knowledge.

• DWP2: (iv) use data collected about current care practices and gaps to develop a logic model outlining how our future intervention will improve foot health outcomes for older adults in care homes.

• DWP3: (v) identify care home staff, care home residents and their families to form a public involvement group. (vi) develop a multi-sector, multi-disciplinary stakeholder group to support knowledge mobilization.

Our methods will include:

1. A survey of care home residents, care staff, and health and care professionals across England
2. Qualitative interviews with care home residents, care staff, and health and care professionals

Public Involvement

In developing this work, we have spoken with care staff, managers of care homes, health professionals, care home residents, and family representatives. These discussions have helped us to understand the challenges across the care sector and to refine the aim of this work. Along with our care-experienced collaborators working on the project, we will continue to involve people with lived-experience throughout the study. This will ensure that the study findings are relevant and meaningful.

Project partners

• Mrs Susan Allcock, lived experience co-applicant
• Professor Kate Galvin, The University of Brighton
• Dr Terry Hall, University of Leeds
• Dr Chris Jones, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
• Dr Ka Keat Lim, Queen Mary University of London
• Professor Karen Spilsbury, University of Leeds
• Dr Gavin Wylie, University of Dundee