Evaluation of Integrated Advice Hubs in Primary Healthcare Settings
This study explores the feasibility of conducting a process, impact and economic evaluation of integrated advice hubs in primary healthcare settings.
Applies to England and Wales
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In October 2021, the Ministry of Justice commissioned an independent evaluation of integrated advice in primary healthcare settings. The evaluation has 2 stages: a feasibility study to explore and finalise a suitable methodology for the evaluation, followed by a comprehensive impact, process and economic evaluation.
This feasibility study provides important insights about health-justice partnerships gathered through the research conducted for the study:
- The literature review found evidence that health-justice partnerships improved socio-economic circumstances, legal problems and mental health of individuals. However, evidence of statistically significant effects was limited and there was a need for higher quality studies.
- Interviews found variation in how health-justice partnerships were delivered in England and Wales due to local needs, relationships between partners and funding arrangements. They mostly varied on whether they are physically co-located at a healthcare setting (for example, in the GP surgery) and on how clients were referred to the advice provider.
Based on the findings from the research conducted, the following evaluation approach is recommended:
- Conduct ‘before’ and ‘after’ surveys with health-justice partnership clients who have received legal advice and a comparison group identified having similar legal needs to estimate the impact of health-justice partnerships. To reduce the bias due to confounding variables, the 2 groups will be matched using propensity score matching techniques.
- Further explore the implementation and delivery of health-justice partnerships through a detailed process evaluation which would involve interviews and/or focus groups with health-justice partnership leads, frontline advisors, healthcare professionals and clients.
- Estimate the financial and economic costs and benefits of health-justice partnerships.
The recommendations from the feasibility study are currently being implemented in the form of process, impact and economic evaluation with a progress report due in autumn 2023.