An evaluation of the Our Rochdale social prescribing helpline   

How are the public involved in the evaluation?

Public involvement is embedded in PHIRST LiLaC’s work and activities through the PHIRST LiLaC Public Adviser Panel. This panel meets regularly and is responsible for reviewing involvement processes, and providing advice on engagement and involvement plans across the PHIRST LiLaC team and its research.

Public advisers on the panel are contributing their expertise and experience around developing and conducting public health evaluations, rather than having direct lived experience of accessing the service to be evaluated. 

The PHIRST LiLaC Public Adviser Panel also work closely with PHIRST researchers, advising on the recruitment and conduct of interviews and focus groups, as well as ethical and safeguarding considerations. They are also actively involved in analysis and interpretation of data from interviews and focus groups.

We will work closely with community organisations who work with and support people who access the Our Rochdale service. This will help us to understand the local context and to develop effective and acceptable approaches to carrying out the research. 

Lay summary of research 

Throughout the pandemic, and particularly during the lockdowns, Rochdale borough residents were able to call a single number (a Community Hub Support number) and be connected to wider community support to meet their needs. This service was provided through the council’s contact centre and often involved supporting people with shopping, food insecurity, prescriptions, and a range of other practical needs. Following the pandemic, and with funding from public health, this support service evolved to become a social prescribing support line, called the ‘Our Rochdale’ helpline. A key driver for continuation is the backdrop of an increasing cost of living and poverty crisis. For example, residents, who find themselves struggling, can contact the helpline to apply for funding via the Household Fund, which includes help with supermarket vouchers. The helpline is now part of the contact centre on a permanent basis.  

By working across council departments and teams, and with external organisations, the Our Rochdale team aims to support residents with their wider needs by connecting them with the advice, support and services they would benefit from, and to address immediate issues and improve their wellbeing. 

The anticipated outcomes are: 

1. Reduction in impact of poverty, receipt of unclaimed benefits, debt advice  
2. Reduction in loneliness and isolation 
3. General health improvements 
4. Improved self-reported wellbeing 
5. Signposting/connecting to other services, organisations and information 
6. Positive culture change in contact centre, away from a transactional approach and toward a more relational approach and preventative processes, resulting in a prevention of residents falling into crisis

This evaluation will contribute to a growing body of research that is focusing on better understanding the impact of a more relational, rather than transactional, approach to service delivery. The objectives guiding the evaluation are outlined below: 

1. To examine uptake and reach of the service across different sociodemographic groups. 
2. To quantify the service’s impact on wellbeing and loneliness outcomes.  
3. To understand the Our Rochdale delivery model, including identifying key enablers and barriers to effective implementation of the service, and also identifying any cultural shifts in practice within the RBC team. 

In this study we will use data that Rochdale Borough Council collect on people who have used the Our Rochdale Helpline to understand clients’ sociodemographic characteristics, referral sources, and types of support provided. We will undertake a short survey with new clients to capture any changes in wellbeing and loneliness as a result of receiving support from the service. We will also undertake interviews and focus groups with council staff and stakeholders to understand implementation of the service, perceived value, and organisational change.