Independent evaluations

Jill Rogers Associates undertake independent evaluations and investigations. Working with Val Musson of Liberating Solutions, we have conducted evaluations for the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Programme Centre, and undertake regular consultancy commissions for the UK National Screening Committee's Education Lead. Using Survey Monkey, develop and undertake questionnaire investigations on behalf of our clients.

Healthwatch Essex - A research study into men's screening and healthcare

Healthwatch Essex commissioned JRA to carry out an intensive study of the factors that influence men to participate or not in screening and healthchecks, particularly Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening for men in their 60s and 70s living in North Essex. Information was collected from patients, service users and the public to identify and understand the factors which enable or encourage older men to make an informed choice to accept the offer of AAA screening; act as a barrier or disincentives to participating in AAA screening; influence particular groups to participate or not in screening and health checks and identify those groups within the population who are more likely not to particpate and why.
A summary of the evaluation report can be found at:
http://www.healthwatchessex.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/Exec_Summary_-_Screening_HWE_0913.pdf

Programme evaluation for the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Programme Centre

The NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia (SC&T;) programme commissioned JRA and Liberating Solutions to carry out an independent evaluation to inform and direct its development over the next five years and to help share good practice and learning with other relevant NHS work streams.

We delivered an evaluation that addressed the mulit-dimensional nature of the programme. The evaluation adopted a mixed methods, multiple case study approach, that was sensitive to political and social complexities, and focused on the programme’s achievements. We conducted extensive interviews, documentary analysis and case study work, analysed the data and presented a number of key recommendations for ways in which the Programme could take its work forward.

The findings were shared at a national workshop chaired by the Archbishop of York, the Reverend John Sentamu. The results have been instrumental in guiding the future of the Programme Centre’s work.

This report is available to view at: http://sct.screening.nhs.uk/cms.php?folder=3178

‘The Programme Centre have found the evaluation fantastically helpful and we are now starting to plan how we are going to deal with the issues raised.’
Dr Elizabeth Dormandy, Deputy Programme Director, SC&T; Programme Centre

Primary care engagement in antenatal and newborn screening
Report of an independent scoping study undertaken on behalf of the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme

JRA and Liberating Solutions worked together to plan, conduct and report on a scoping study of primary care engagement across all antenatal and newborn screening programmes.

We undertook a series of intensive face-to-face interviews with key professionals in primary care teams around the country, analysed the current literature, and made recommendations to enhance the ways in which the antenatal and newborn screening programmes can work with primary care practitioners to develop their involvement in screening. These are now being considered by the United Kingdom National Screening Committee and the individual screening programmes.

This report is available to view at: http://sct.screening.nhs.uk/primary_care_engagement

Consultancy to the Education Lead, UK National Screening Committee

JRA and Liberating Solutions provide support and consultancy to a wide range of work. For example, we have: edited diverse information to form a coherent report, prepared business cases, written executive summaries, worked to create and edit learning resources, run focused workshops to address particular topics, and developed elearning resources. These are examples of this work:

Development of Laboratory Education Strategy: Our brief was to scope the current education provision for screening for laboratory staff, organise a national workshop of interested parties to focus on generic issues and to agree the way forward for the development of a generic screening education resource. We prepared a post-workshop report and recommendations for the way forward. These have been actioned and a model curriculum developed as part of Modernising Scientific Careers.

Questionnaire survey for UK NSC: We developed questionnaires for assessors and students involved with a specialist course for one of the screening programmes. The survey will be conducted using Survey Monkey and will make recommendations about the future development of the course.

Survey of student views for the Open University

The Open University (OU) commissioned JRA to conduct a small number of in-depth interviews about students’ views of a specific course. JRA made arrangements to conduct the telephone interviews, conducted them and transcribed the recordings. A report of the key findings was prepared and submitted to the Open University.