About Centre for Development of Institutional and Home Care Services
The Centre for Development of Institutional and Home Care Services (USHT) is a national initiative to ensure the provision of good quality nursing and care services throughout the country. It is financed by means of a grant from the Norwegian Directorate of Health and is an expansion of the "Teaching Nursing Home" initiative that was launched in 1999.
The vision: Development through knowledge.
Each county has two development centres; one for nursing homes and one for home care services.
Primary objective:
- The Centre of Development of Institutional and Home Care Services is the driving force for expertise and quality in nursing home and home care services in the county.
Secondary goals:
- Driving force behind professional and service development within locally and nationally defined target areas
- Enabling the further development of work experience for pupils, apprentices and students
- Encouraging the development of staff expertise
- Organizing research and development in health and care services
Initiative objectives:
- To stimulate committed cooperation across educational institutions, municipalities, county administrators and the state.
- To support good local initiatives to improve quality - by giving financial subsidies to selected municipal units in each county.
- To stimulate the sharing of experience and knowledge between municipalities both within the county and nationally
The History of the Development Centres
1996
A national program of Teaching Nursing Homes became a part of the National Geriatric Programme, Norwegian Board of Health Supervision in 1996. The Institute of Nursing Science at the University of Oslo was given a grant by the geriatric programme to develop a national plan for Teaching Nursing Homes. The idea of the Teaching Nursing Home arose from the Teaching Nursing Home programme in the USA.
1999-2003
The plan was supported by the Department of Health and Social Security in 1999 and resulted in sub-projects in Oslo (Tåsen Nursing Home), Bergen (Fyllingsdalen Nursing Home), Trondheim (Søbstad Nursing Home) and Tromsø (Kroken Nursing Home). 2001 Karasjok was defined as an individual project focusing on the Sami population. An ongoing evaluation was completed and published in 2002 (FAFO-rapport 2002 ) and a final evaluation in 2003 (Ingar Pettersen AS).
2004
It was decided that the Teaching Nursing Home Model should be extended, and the Teaching Nursing Homes were established as a permanent arrangement. The initiative was secured in parliamentary white paper no.25 (2005-2006)"Long Term Care - Future Challenges", Care Plan 2015 and the secondary plan the ‘Promise of Expertise’.
2005
The Teaching Nursing Home in Songdalen, Songdalstunet, was established as one of the six teaching nursing homes. Abildsø took over as the teaching nursing home in Oslo, after Tåsen Nursing Home.
2008
The goal of establishing Teaching Nursing homes in every county in Norway was achieved. Each of the main teaching nursing homes was given "a satellite teaching nursing home" in each health region. The main teaching nursing home was responsible for the network in its region.
2009
Teaching Home Care Services were established in every county throughout the country. The Teaching Home Care Services, in contrast to the teaching nursing homes, are organized according to a model where all the units are given the same responsibilities and tasks in their individual county.
2011
As part of the top-level strategy, during the period 2011-2015, the teaching nursing homes and the home care services were given a new name and logo. From January 1st 2011 the initiative is known as the Centre for Development of Institutional and Home Services. All the units were given the status of Development Centre with the same duties and responsibilities.