Developing a prototype toolkit for the practical and effective evaluation of the integrated care delivered by neighbourhood multi-disciplinary teams for children and young people

Research question: To identify the indicators and data sets necessary for the effective evaluation of the care provided by Neighbourhood Multi-disciplinary Teams for children and young people (NMDTs) across multiple domains. Background: Child poverty in the UK is rising and with that comes increased demands on the health, social and education systems trying to support and improve children and young people s (CYP) health and wellbeing. To address this the National Health Service (NHS) has recommended the localised delivery of integrated health and social care for CYP via Neighbourhood Multi-disciplinary Teams (NMDTs). However, the evidence base underpinning this integration is weak, and little is known of how they might be most effectively configured and in which circumstances. As a result, commissioners and NMDT leads are in urgent need of a consensually agreed set of indicators that provide consistent and reliable data to inform both the delivery of individual service offers but also by allowing collation of consistent data from across sites provide guidance for implementing effective integrated care at scale. Aims and objectives: To develop a practical evaluation toolkit that can be used to collect and understand evidence of safe and effective integrated care for CYP across multiple care domains. Methods: the work will take place in two work packages: In the first we will use systematic review methodology, to identify the indicators and data sets necessary to evaluate a multi-componential care offer. The indicators will include but not be confined to those identified by the National Health Service, which can be summarised within four domains (Service utilisation, Management of chronic conditions, Education, and Patient/staff engagement and satisfaction). Reflective of the study team s three-year experience of delivering a pilot NMDT in Birmingham, we will also explore possible indicators within two additional domains (Preventative care, and Financial impact). For each indicator we will identify the data sets needed to measure them including routinely or prospectively collected data, that held on research databases, and the data linkages and collection tools that might be required. In the second work package we will take these proposed indicators and data sets to a series of coproduction workshops consisting of patients, their families and staff to arrive at a consensually agreed prototype evaluation toolkit, that measures relevant data but is practicable and acceptable to all. Timelines for delivery: The creation of the prototype toolkit will take 12 months. The first work package, consisting of the systematic review and compilation of indicators and data sets will take 6 months). The second involving the iterative coproduction of the prototype toolkit, and the creation of a supporting portal to host the toolkit will also take six months. Anticipated impact and dissemination: The toolkit will allow service leads to improve individual NMDT service offers and offer commissioners both locally and nationally the opportunity to collate data across sites. The work will be disseminated using the peer reviewed literature, regional and national patient and service networks, and the toolkit placed on a freely available website alongside guidance for each element.