How do we know Local Area Coordination works?

Over the past 27 years, there have been many evaluations that show, where it is designed properly with local people and there is strong, connected leadership there are very consistent positive outcomes.

These include:

• Derby City diverted costs/savings of £800k in first 12 months in 2 locations whilst operating at 40% capacity,
• Thurrock Council found reductions in referrals/visits to GP, A&E, adult care, mental health and safeguarding services; avoided housing evictions,
• Reduced dependence on day services and better health outcomes,
• Costs 35% lower compared to non Local Area Coordination areas,
• People supported to find local, low cost/no cost solutions,
• Preventing more expensive out of home/area/placements.

Derby Flower

Feedback from local people (see above Derby Flower) has also shown a range of positive outcomes.

These include:

• Increased valued, informal, support relationships – reducing isolation,
• Increasing capacity of families to continue in caring role,
• Improved access to information,
• Better resourced communities,
• Improved access to specialist services,
• Support into volunteering, training and employment,
• Preventing crises through early intervention,
• Changing the balance of care to the use of more informal supports and diverting people from more expensive services.

For Services and systems, it has also been shown to drive:

• Service integration, joint working and co funding,
• Cultural change in services,
• Local Area Coordination as “front end”, with services as valued “back up”.