Follow Africa’s lead in meticulous evaluation of P4P schemes for healthcare
By Mylene Lagarde Working with researchers to evaluate the introduction of financial incentives in developed healthcare economies would yield vital knowledge, explains Mylene Lagarde The jury is very...
View ArticleLet’s be honest that pilots are not just about testing: they’re also about...
By Stefanie Ettelt There is more to policy piloting than evaluation – piloting is a policy tool in itself, not only a means for conducting research, says Stefanie Ettelt Pilot evaluation tends to...
View ArticleRapid, real-time feedback from evaluation, as well as programme flexibility,...
By Tom Woodcock We should learn from Melanesian Islanders that feedback provides the deep understanding of interventions which is key to wide-scale, successful roll-out, says Tom Woodcock Osmar...
View ArticleEvaluations should share interim findings only when pieces of research are...
by oona campbell A global maternal health initiative that could save thousands of lives has highlighted dilemmas for those assessing its performance, says Oona Campbell It is difficult to...
View Article‘Research units are performing a difficult balancing act … but we’re still...
by nicholas mays Our ambition to co-produce evidence with advisors and officials is fraught with challenges, but remains a worthy goal with valuable benefits, explains PIRU director, Nicholas Mays....
View Article‘Different contexts should not be allowed to paralyse wider roll-out – some...
by mark petticrew Interventions that succeed in some instances may or may not work in other circumstances. You have to consider whether the contextual differences really are ‘significant’, says Mark...
View ArticleModelling lets evaluators test-drive change safely and cheaply, using a...
by sally Brailsford Enhanced decision-making, blue-skies thinking and quick trials of hypotheses are all much easier if modelling is in your evaluation tool kit, explains Sally Brailsford Everyone...
View ArticlePolicy process for implementing individual budgets highlights some of the...
by gerald wistow A high profile initiative to transform social care delivery demonstrates how the demand for rigorous evaluation can be difficult to fulfil alongside enthusiastic policy advocacy,...
View Article‘We need critical friends and robust challenge, not aloofness and separation’
by anna dixon A strong relationship between policy-makers and academic evaluators is vital, particularly to support high quality implementation of change, says Anna Dixon, the Department of Health’s...
View ArticleHow to commission evaluations of national policy pilots
BY STEFANIE ETTELT AND NICHOLAS MAYS Evaluations of national policy pilots are often embarked on with high expectations and end with a sense of frustration on all sides. Policy-makers often expect...
View ArticleSIBs may be overhyped but their focus on outcomes is a vital policy innovation
BY ALEX NICHOLLS Some claimed benefits of Social Impact Bonds remain unproven. But they tackle long-term weaknesses in public service delivery by concentrating on outcomes, early intervention and...
View ArticleEthical risks of marketising public services demand caution
By Julia Morley Social Impact Bonds and similar financial vehicles may seem guaranteed to deliver key values, but they raise important moral dilemmas. The impulse to use new private sector approaches...
View Article‘We should model complex public health interventions before piloting them’
By Zaid Chalabi Mathematical models can test multiple variables cheaply and quickly, giving early indications of what really matters. That helps in designing pilots and understanding how context can...
View ArticleDream of Social Impact Bonds should not blind us to their dangers
By Mildred E. Warner In the US, SIBs are the height of social policy fashion, but the risks are clear and numerous. The dream of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) sounds pretty exciting. It’s that you can...
View ArticleSIBs don’t work for complex problems because they’re unaccountable to service...
By Stephen Sinclair, Neil McHugh and Michael J.Roy Supporting change through social policy is an iterative process which develops participatory relationships with users. Social Impact Bonds fail on...
View ArticleCouncil information brokers could help technology to play vital role in...
By Martin Knapp and James Barlow There’s no shortage of gadgets. But users and carers require help to make the most of what is available. Industry also should focus more on understanding what people...
View ArticleNext step: develop Social Investment Partnerships
by Ben Jupp The experience of Social Impact Bonds can inform a wider set of relationships to help address social needs, argues a key innovator in the field. The health and social care system I work in...
View ArticleJust how bad is the NHS at innovation? The answer – we don’t know
BY James Barlow “There is strong encouragement for the NHS to make better use of innovation, but we’ve not known how our system performs internationally. Now we are developing a potential measure.” The...
View ArticleSocial Impact Bonds offer challenges and opportunities in health and social care
By Alec Fraser, Stefanie Tan & Nicholas Mays SIBs bring promises of extra cash and reduced fragmentation but also concerns about private sector interests, practicality and governance. What does...
View Article“Rethink questions to patients in general practice and focus more on...
By Tommaso Manacorda The “Friends and Family Test”, seeking patients’ views, has created anxiety among practices but shed little light on patients’ concerns. It’s time for a rethink, suggests our...
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