Episode 13 - The DACHA Study Part 2

In this episode, we explore how the DACHA (Developing research resources And minimum data set for Care Homes’ Adoption) project tackled one of the most vital challenges in social care research: understanding and improving quality of life outcomes for residents in care homes.

 

We speak with leading researchers from the DACHA team who share the project’s innovative approach to mapping, collecting, and using person-centered quality of life data. The episode covers:

 

• What “quality of life” means in the context of social care

• How the DACHA project developed and tested a Minimum Data Set (MDS) for care homes

• The importance of including the voices of residents, families, and care staff in measuring outcomes

• Key findings on how to use QoL data to inform decision-making at local and national levels

• Challenges faced in data collection and integration across care settings

 

 

Listeners will come away with a better understanding of how data-driven insights can support more responsive, dignified, and person-focused care.

 

🔍 If you’re involved in social care, policy, or research—this episode is packed with valuable insights from one of the UK’s most ambitious projects in care home data reform.

	Kings College, London Professor of Social Care Research in the Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit (HSCWRU)Kings College, London.
	Queen Mary University, London Professor of Care of Older People at the Academic Centre for Healthy Ageing
	The Outstanding Society Project Specialist