Using communities of practice in adult social care to build research capacity and foster best practice: a qualitative evaluation
Participants valued the inclusive and safe learning space, which supported mutual reflection and knowledge exchange. Relationships formed across roles and settings which helped bridge siloed thinking, validate research ideas, and extend learning beyond the COPs. Time constraints and organisational culture affected frontline social worker participation, despite a recognised need for innovation. Networking emerged as a prominent outcome, leading to new knowledge-exchange collaborations. Future research should focus on understanding the impact of the COPs on organisational level practice and policy.
Authors
- Ferhana Hashem (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2544-1350)
- Sophie Fournel
- Vanessa Abrahamson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1169-9457)
- Rasa Mikelyte (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2772-8240)
- Ann-Marie Towers
- Liz Jones
- Wenjing Zhang
- Collette Thornton
- Olivia Trapp
Institutions
- UK Health Forum (GB)
- King's College London (GB)
- University of Kent (GB)
- Kent County Council (GB)
- ET Enterprises (United Kingdom) (GB)
- Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- NIHR Open Research
- Published
- 2025-12-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3310/nihropenres.14134.1
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.82
Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Health and Social Care Delivery Research