Evaluation of Prevention Matters

Author(s)

APTELIGEN, et al

Publisher(s):

Apteligen

Publication year:

2015

An evaluation of Prevention Matters, a whole county change programme designed to facilitate access to frontline community services and groups in Buckinghamshire. The programme targets those whose needs are below the substantial need threshold for adult social care, building on a referral system, rather than on direct support. Fourteen Community Practice Workers (CPWs) are aligned to the seven GP localities in Buckinghamshire, and lead on the referral process, from first contact with the users to final review and exit. The CPWs are supported by seven Community Links Officers who ensure that the necessary resources are available in the community to meet users’ needs, including identification of opportunities to build new capacity. A wide network of frontline community services and groups provides direct face-to-face support to users through activities such as befriending, transport, fitness, and lunch clubs. The evaluation found that the potential to maintain independence and delay access to adult social care may be less than originally intended as a result of the complexity of the needs and frailty of some programme users. Nonetheless, nearly half of all programme users reported improvement in their satisfaction with the level of social contact they had and a third of programme users reported that their quality of life was better at the review stage compared to the time of their baseline assessment. In addition, the evaluation concluded that the programme has been particularly successful at facilitating access to information. The analysis indicates that the benefits associated with the programme are £1,000 per user per year, including the value of the improvements in health suggested by the impact evaluation (£500), and estimated spill-over effects on the need for informal social care (£492). The report also highlights the positive impact on organisations and systems, and increased volunteering capacity and sets out a series of recommendations to strengthen the delivery of the programme. (Edited publisher abstract)