Evaluation of the Integrated Lifestyle Service Pilot in Staffordshire

Background

M·E·L Research was commissioned by Staffordshire County Council’s Public Health Team in 2014 to evaluate a one year Integrated Lifestyle Service Pilot, commissioned by Public Health and delivered by a Third Sector organisation in two of Staffordshire’s Districts. The main aims of the evaluation were to inform future potential roll-out of the integrated lifestyle service approach and to inform future Public Health commissioning.

The Pilot focused on improving the health and wellbeing outcomes for pregnant and postnatal women and their children by reducing the risk factors for infant mortality. Weight management and smoking cessation were the two core service offerings; the Pilot also had a number of other supplementary service areas.

Methodology

Our evaluation was mixed-method and comprised a number of elements:

• Scoping visits and interviews, review of data capture mechanisms and recommendations about additional data capture
• Design of a Logic Model and Evaluation Framework, informed by good practice in HM Treasury’s Magenta Book (incorporating formative, summative, attribution and the counterfactual)
• Rapid evidence review to establish the wider context and build on learning
• Stakeholder interviews about progress and effectiveness
• Small-scale qualitative consultation with service users, and the inclusion of case studies
• Mapping of postcodes of Pilot referrals, users and non-users using CACI Insites Wellbeing Acorn software
• Pilot monitoring data updates on outputs and outcomes
• Before and After Costs and Outcomes Comparison, based on prospective costing interviews and Pilot resource data.

Outcomes

We provided quarterly updates of progress over the lifespan of the Pilot, so the findings could organically feed into the service’s development. We synthesised and triangulated the evaluation evidence and our final report included the key issues and our final recommendations for: future Public Health commissioning and potential roll-out of the integrated lifestyle service approach; maternal and child health services delivery system; and partnership working.

The project was carried out with understanding of, and sensitivity to, the complexities of carrying out evaluation during the pilot’s delivery, and a pragmatic yet robust approach was adopted. We found the report and recommendations excellent in shaping the way forward.

Denise Vittorino, Strategic Lead for Health & Wellbeing Development