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BUILD: Building collaborative person-centred integrated care

BUILD: Building collaborative person-centred integrated care

URL: https://goltc.org/projects/goltc-1750265376

Care inequalitiesCare integration/ coordinationEcosystems of care AustriaCzech RepublicGermanyPortugalSpain Co-production methodsLongitudinal data analysisPolicy analysisScoping reviewsSocial Return on Investment

Project status
Ongoing
Contact
Katja Buehlmeyer
PI Name
Eckhard Nagel
Host institution
University of Bayreuth
Institution web page
https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/en
Team members
Prof. Eckhard Nagel Dr. Michael Lauerer Dr. Katja Bühlmeyer Alisa Bader Sebastian Schmidt
Funded by
The BUILD project (101132365) is funded by the Horizon Europe Framework Programme under the 2023 call HORIZON-CL2-2023-TRANSFORMATIONS-01, topic 01-08: “Integrated care solutions leading to better quality, person-centred long-term care and overcoming territorial inequalities in their provision.” BUILD is a Research and Innovation Action coordinated by Universität Bayreuth, with a total EU contribution of €3.2 million over 36 months (March 2024 – February 2027).
Award Number
101132365

KEYWORDS / CATEGORIES

Countries
Austria | Czech Republic | Germany | Portugal | Spain
Topics
Care inequalities | Care integration/ coordination | Ecosystems of care
Funding Type
Methods
Co-production methods | Longitudinal data analysis | Policy analysis | Scoping reviews | Social Return on Investment
Project Summary

The BUILD project aims to improve long-term care (LTC) for older adults (60+) with complex needs by developing person-centred integrated care (PC-IC) solutions through participatory co-design and community engagement. As Europe’s population ages, care systems face mounting challenges, including persistent socio-economic, gender, and territorial inequalities.

BUILD will map and analyse existing LTC ecosystems across Europe, identifying regulatory frameworks and care models. It will conduct a cross-national longitudinal study in four countries to explore how inequalities shape access to and outcomes of care. Through workshops and interviews with older adults, informal carers, and professionals, the project will co-create inclusive care solutions and identify technological and policy innovations.

The key result will be a validated framework and toolbox to support policy makers and practitioners in designing sustainable, person-centred care services. BUILD contributes to the European Care Strategy by promoting equity, quality, and integration in LTC.

Coordinated by Universität Bayreuth, the project involves nine partners from seven countries and is funded under the Horizon Europe Programme (Grant Agreement 101132365).

Project Aims
  • Develop a co-design framework and toolbox that supports policymakers and stakeholders in creating socially inclusive, person-centred integrated care (PC-IC) solutions for older adults with complex care needs.
  • Enhance the understanding of existing integrated care ecosystems across Europe, particularly how they address or exacerbate social, gender, and territorial inequalities.
  • Promote participatory co-design and community engagement as key methods for developing long-term care (LTC) services that are sustainable, inclusive, and tailored to real-life needs.
  • Generate scientific evidence through a cross-national longitudinal study on how inequalities shape access to and outcomes of integrated care, considering perspectives of patients, informal carers, and professionals.
  • Identify promising policy and governance practices in LTC and develop evidence-based policy recommendations aligned with the European Care Strategy.
  • Facilitate the adoption of socio-technological solutions that improve PC-IC, while ensuring they meet the needs of diverse user groups through stakeholder input and assessment.
  • Evaluate solutions using Social Return on Investment (SROI) to support sustainability, efficiency, and impact measurement.
Project Methods

BUILD uses a mixed-methods and participatory approach including:

  • Scoping reviews to map existing integrated care models and social return on investment (SROI) practices.
  • Cross-national longitudinal study with 360 interviews in 4 countries to explore how inequalities affect care access and outcomes.
  • Participatory workshops with older adults, informal carers, and professionals to co-design care solutions.
  • Stakeholder engagement through the BUILD Association Board to guide and validate findings.
  • Policy analysis using interviews and Delphi methods to identify best practices and inform recommendations.
  • Framework and toolbox development to support the implementation of person-centred integrated care across Europe.
Project Findings / expected Findings
  • Typology of integrated care (IC) ecosystems across Europe, highlighting how person-centredness, technology, and inequality are addressed in different contexts.
  • Evidence of social, gender, and territorial inequalities in access to and outcomes of long-term care (LTC), based on longitudinal qualitative data from four countries.
  • Insights into the needs, experiences, and preferences of older adults with complex care needs, as well as informal and formal caregivers.
  • Validated evaluation criteria for assessing PC-IC models, including social return on investment (SROI) indicators.
  • Identification of policy and governance gaps and best practices in LTC systems across EU member states.
  • Innovative co-designed care solutions informed by participatory workshops and scenario-based engagement.
  • A practical, evidence-based co-design framework and toolbox to support the implementation of sustainable, person-centred LTC at local, regional, and national levels.
  • Policy recommendations to support more inclusive, integrated, and equitable LTC systems in line with the European Care Strategy.
Outputs

N.A.