Evaluating the implementation and impact of a new model of care for integrating children and young people’s acute mental healthcare in a paediatric setting: A protocol for a realist, mixed methods approach
File(s)Manuscript_2.1.docx (547.31 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction
The mental health of children and young people in the UK has been declining, and has continued to worsen throughout the pandemic, leading to an increase in mental health related emergencies. In response, the Best for You programme was developed as a new service designed to integrate mental health care for children and young people between acute hospital and community services. The programme is comprised of four new services: a rapid assessment young people’s centre with dual trained staff, a co-located day service offering family-based care and a digital hub, designed to integrate with the fourth element of the model, namely community support and mental health services. This evaluation aims to assess the development, implementation and outcomes of the Best for You programme and develop a scalable model that could be implemented in other parts of the National Health Service (NHS).
Methods and analysis
This mixed-methods realist evaluation aims to delineate the components of the system to assess their interdependent relationships within a wider context. Data collection will include interviews, participant observations, focus group discussions and the collection of local quantitative service data. The research will be conducted across four phases. Phase 1-captures the development of the underlying programme theory. Phase 2-a process evaluation testing the programme theory. Phase 3- an outcome and economic evaluation. Phase 4-consolidatation of learning from phases 1-3 to identify barriers, facilitators, and wider contextual factors that have shaped implementation drawing on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval for the evaluation was received from the NHS local ethics committee. Embedded within the evaluation is a formative review to feedback and share learning with stakeholders to scale-up the programme. Findings from this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals as well as presentations to be useful to service user organisations and networks.
The mental health of children and young people in the UK has been declining, and has continued to worsen throughout the pandemic, leading to an increase in mental health related emergencies. In response, the Best for You programme was developed as a new service designed to integrate mental health care for children and young people between acute hospital and community services. The programme is comprised of four new services: a rapid assessment young people’s centre with dual trained staff, a co-located day service offering family-based care and a digital hub, designed to integrate with the fourth element of the model, namely community support and mental health services. This evaluation aims to assess the development, implementation and outcomes of the Best for You programme and develop a scalable model that could be implemented in other parts of the National Health Service (NHS).
Methods and analysis
This mixed-methods realist evaluation aims to delineate the components of the system to assess their interdependent relationships within a wider context. Data collection will include interviews, participant observations, focus group discussions and the collection of local quantitative service data. The research will be conducted across four phases. Phase 1-captures the development of the underlying programme theory. Phase 2-a process evaluation testing the programme theory. Phase 3- an outcome and economic evaluation. Phase 4-consolidatation of learning from phases 1-3 to identify barriers, facilitators, and wider contextual factors that have shaped implementation drawing on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval for the evaluation was received from the NHS local ethics committee. Embedded within the evaluation is a formative review to feedback and share learning with stakeholders to scale-up the programme. Findings from this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals as well as presentations to be useful to service user organisations and networks.
Date Issued
2023-01-20
Date Acceptance
2022-12-23
Citation
BMJ Open, 2023, 13 (1), pp.1-9
ISSN
2044-6055
Publisher
BMJ Journals
Start Page
1
End Page
9
Journal / Book Title
BMJ Open
Volume
13
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
License URL
Identifier
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/1/e067074
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2023-01-10