The Glasgow ‘Deep End’ Links Worker Study Protocol: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Social Prescribing Intervention for Patients with Complex Needs in Areas of High Socioeconomic Deprivation
Open accessAbstract
Background: ‘Social prescribing’ can be used to link patients with complex needs to local (non-medical) community resources. The ‘Deep End’ Links Worker Programme is being tested in general practices serving deprived populations in Glasgow, Scotland. Objectives: To assess the implementation and impact of the intervention at patient and practice levels. Methods: Study design: Quasi-experimental outcome evaluation with embedded theory-driven process evaluation in 15 practices randomized to receive the intervention or not. Complex intervention: Comprising a practice development fund, a practice-based community links practitioner (CLP), and management support. It aims to link patients to local community organizations and enhance practices’ social prescribing capacity. Study population: For intervention practices, staff and adult patients involved in referral to a CLP, and a sample of community organization staff. For comparison practices, all staff and a random sample of adult patients. Sample size: 286 intervention and 484 comparator patients. Outcomes: Primary patient outcome is health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L). Secondary patient outcomes include capacity, depression/anxiety, self-esteem, and healthcare utilization. Practice outcome measures include team climate, job satisfaction, morale, and burnout. Outcomes measured at baseline and 9 months. Processes: Barriers and facilitators to implementation of the programme and possible mechanisms through which outcomes are achieved. Analysis plan: For outcome, intention-to-treat analysis with differences between groups tested using mixed-effects regression models. For process, case-study approach with thematic analysis. Discussion: This evaluation will provide new evidence about the implementation and impact of social prescribing by general practices serving patients with complex needs living in areas of high deprivation.
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In the 'Deep End' scheme [51] in Glasgow, community links practitioners (CLPs) were embedded in practices and carried out one-to-one working with patients to support patients' use of community services.
“This was achieved in the ‘Deep End’ scheme [51] in Glasgow where ‘community links practitioners’ (CLPs) were embedded in practices; these CLPs carried out which one-to-one working with patients to support patients’ use of community services.”
From Can support workers from AgeUK deliver an intervention to support older people with anxiety and depression? A qualitative evaluation (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
The Introduction describes CLPs attached to Glasgow ‘Deep End’ practices who work with patients on non-medical problems through referrals to local community organizations. The Intervention section also identifies a practice-attached CLP. Neither passage specifies that the patient work was one-to-one. (LLM, conf=0.83)
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- Authors
- Mercer, S. W., Fitzpatrick, B., Grant, L., Chng, N. R., O'Donnell, C. A., Mackenzie, M., McConnachie, A., Bakhshi, A., & Wyke, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Corresponding author
- Mercer, Stewart W.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Comorbidity
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-01
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-10
- ISSN
- 2235-042X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5556433
- OpenAlex
- W2581117119
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 10.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Comorbidity (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion)
- Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- NHS Health Scotland
- Scottish Government
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Evaluation and Performance Assessment
- Keywords
- social prescribing, complex needs, socioeconomic deprivation, general practice, health-related quality of life, community resources, implementation barriers and facilitators, health care utilization, anxiety and depression, staff burnout, Glasgow
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