Investigating new care coordinator roles within Integrated Care Systems

In the UK, policy makers have been working on how to implement and develop these roles. However, there is a lack of literature that explores the role of care coordinators within the UK healthcare and social care (or worldwide). How the role is embedded in local contexts and across sectors, as well as its impact remains relatively unclear.  

Project aim

This project aims to examine the nature of new care coordinator roles and how they are working in practice within integrated healthcare and social care systems. The research team are interested in shedding light on what sorts of new care coordinator roles are being created, what tasks are delegated (or not) and the implications of this on colleagues’ workload and quality of support for service users.

Project plan

The project is carried out in phases and involves interviews with: expert stakeholders (e.g., representatives from Integrated Care System (ICS), strategic human resources managers, and workforce experts); local managers with responsibility for care coordinators; role holders and service users with experience of working with care coordinators. 

How public contributors are involved in the research

This work is co-produced with the members of Public Contributor Involvement and Engagement (PCIE) ‘New Roles’ workgroup who are involved in project design, strategy and development, sample recruitment and selection, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination. 

In addition, and subject to funding availability, researchers might discuss the project findings with patient and public contributors from south London to identify perceived areas of alignment and difference with the specific local context. Based on the results of the discussion additional recommendations might be shared with the local south London partners. 

Potential benefits of the project

• The research aims to facilitate better embedded care coordinator roles in local communities. The role is designed to aid wider integration between health and social care services, as well as to address social determinants of health and social care needs more. This may lead to better support with social care needs, as well as health needs within the local communities.
• The research aims to facilitate better understanding of the role of care coordinators within the local communities. This may lead to wider use of the role by those who would benefit from better integration of health and social care services and higher focus on the social care needs in their care plan (eg. people with multiple long-term conditions).

This research project is funded by NIHR Policy Research Programme through the Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce. 

It was adopted by ARC South London Executive in June 2025.