Evaluation of Leicestershire Local Area Coordination: final report
Author(s)
M·E·L RESEARCH
Publisher(s):
M·E·L Research
Publication year:
2020
This evaluation of Leicestershire Local Area Coordination (LAC) has comprised both formative (process) and summative (outcome) elements. LAC is a complex community-based intervention, delivered in 10 very different local areas in four of the County’s Districts, operationally delivered by 8 Coordinators with varied backgrounds and different working styles. It is designed to have an impact on three levels: individual, community, and health and social care integration. The evaluation finds that LAC has been effective in achieving its ‘founding’ aims and strategic objectives for individuals (a strong focus on assets-based approaches and a community model of delivery, aimed at ‘upstream prevention’ working with vulnerable residents at risk of crisis). LAC has been moderately effective in achieving its aims and objectives around HSC integration but has been less effective in delivering its’ community-based objectives. The SROI findings provide positive evidence of measurable outcomes for LAC, demonstrating positive SROI ratio of £4.10 in accumulated benefit for every £1 spent. It has been more challenging to make LAC successful (and therefore LAC is likely to have less impact for residents) in areas with less community infrastructure; and as LAC is not a prescriptive service, the impact of LAC for some beneficiaries may be lessened as they may not be ready to take the steps to help them move forward. The most successful elements of LAC have comprised: the relationships between coordinators, and beneficiaries and local partners – trust, flexibility and effective networking; coordinator knowledge of local assets and ability to match this with beneficiary support needs; coordinators being located within the communities they work; the lack of specific agenda for coordinators making them less threatening; and the personal skills and commitment of the coordinator team. (Edited publisher abstract)
