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Metric to Measure Impact of Prevention Services

Client: Local Borough of Hackney
Lead contractor: Crystal Blue Consulting Ltd

Description
Adult social care services face competing demands, in a tight fiscal environment, and Local Authorities need to understand where best to target their resources. We were asked to support the Council in developing a metric to measure the financial and social impact of prevention services. The outputs of the project were: • A clearly defined rationale/methodology for a local metric; • Capacity building – support staff development by showing how the metric would be applied, through a report and a process.

Services provided
Literature review, meet the working group, interview key personnel, develop a model linking prevention/impact/finance, consult with local stakeholders to road-test the model. We developed an Impact Index that allowed the costs and benefits of, for example, Lunch Club A and Lunch Club B to be compared.

Highlights
Difficult commissioning decisions became more transparent. The metric enabled council officers, voluntary services, users and other stakeholders to negotiate a process based on shared values and quantitative evidence.