This is the report of an overarching study of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded Birmingham RAND and Cambridge Rapid Evaluation Centre’s (BRACE) portfolio of studies, undertaken to explore the ways in which evaluations of service innovations take account of and impact on people living with multiple long-term conditions. The report is a thematic synopsis of 10 evaluations that have each been published as a standalone research report by the NIHR Journals Library. The 10 evaluations are set out in Table 1 along with the corresponding references where their findings can be read in full.
| Evaluations | Source documents |
|---|---|
| Primary Care Networks – evaluation of early development and implementation1 | Smith J, Parkinson S, Harshfield A, Sidhu M. Early evidence of the development of primary care networks in England: a rapid evaluation study. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2022;10(27). |
| Acute hospitals managing general practice services – Phase 12 | Sidhu M, Pollard J, Sussex J. Vertical integration of GP practices with acute hospitals in England and Wales: rapid evaluation. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2022;10(17). |
| Children and Young People’s Mental Health Trailblazers3 | Ellins J, Hocking L, Al-Haboubi M, Newbould J, Fenton S-J, Daniel K,et al. Early evaluation of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Trailblazer programme: a rapid mixed-methods study. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2023;11(8). https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr-tr-130818 |
| Telephone-first primary care for people with multiple conditions4 | Saunders CL, Gkousis E. Impact of telephone triage on access to primary care for people living with multiple long term health conditions: rapid evaluation. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2022;10(18). |
| COVID Oximetry at Home main evaluation5 | Fulop N, Walton H, Crellin N, Georghiou T, Herlitz L, Litchfield I, et al. A rapid mixed methods evaluation of remote home monitoring models during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2023;11(13). |
| COVID Oximetry at Home in care homes6 | Sidhu M, Litchfield I, Miller R, Fulop NJ, Janta B, Tanner J-R, et al. Using pulse oximeters in care homes for residents with COVID-19 and other conditions: a rapid mixed-methods evaluation. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2022;10(35). |
| Artificial intelligence and social care7 | Glasby J, Litchfield I, Parkinson S, Hocking L, Tanner D, Roe B, Bousfield J. New and emerging technology for adult social care – the example of home sensors with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2023;11(9):1–64. https://doi.org/10.3310/HRYW428 |
| Digital-first primary care as experienced by people with multiple conditions and their carers8 | Newbould J, Hocking L, Sidhu M, Daniel K. Digital first primary care for those with multiple long-term conditions: the views of stakeholders. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2023 (under review). |
| Acute hospitals managing general practice services – Phase 29 | Sidhu M, Saunders CL, Davies C, McKenna G, Wu F, Litchfield I, et al. Vertical integration of GP practices with acute hospitals in England: rapid impact evaluation. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2023;11(17). |
| Women’s reproductive health hubs10 | Daniel K, Bousfield J, Hocking L, Jackson L, Taylor B. Evaluation of Women’s Health Hubs. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2023 (under review). |
This report sets out a reflective account of 5 years’ learning from scoping, undertaking and disseminating a portfolio of rapid evaluations. The cross-project analysis and reflection were supplemented by a programme of patient, public and professional engagement workshops; a set of interviews with national and regional stakeholders working in or alongside integrated care systems; and a rapid evidence review of remote monitoring within the care of people living with multiple long-term conditions. Lessons are drawn from this overarching study about how the needs of people with multiple long-term conditions can be better embedded within practice, policy and research.
The protocol for this study, along with an update to the approach agreed in October 2022 to take account of the English NHS context of new Integrated Care Systems, is available in www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR134284.