A Social Return on Investment Evaluation of the Pilot Social Prescribing EmotionMind Dynamic Coaching Programme to Improve Mental Wellbeing and Self-Confidence

Abraham Makanjuola; Mary Lynch; Ned Hartfiel; Andrew Cuthbert; Hayley T Wheeler; Rhiannon Tudor Edwards

doi:10.3390/ijerph191710658

A Social Return on Investment Evaluation of the Pilot Social Prescribing EmotionMind Dynamic Coaching Programme to Improve Mental Wellbeing and Self-Confidence

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 26;19(17):10658. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191710658.

Authors

Abraham Makanjuola¹, Mary Lynch², Ned Hartfiel¹, Andrew Cuthbert³, Hayley T Wheeler⁴, Rhiannon Tudor Edwards¹

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, Bangor University College of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor LL57 2PZ, UK.
² Lanarkshire Campus, Hamilton International Technology Park, University of West Scotland, South Lanarkshire, Paisley G72 0LH, UK.
³ School of Medicine Cardiff, Cardiff University College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK.
⁴ EmotionMind Dynamic, Hayley T Wheeler Ltd., Llanelli SA15 1BQ, UK.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to longer waiting lists for people seeking to access mental health services. The NHS Five Year Forward View encourages the development of empowerment-based social prescribing interventions to supplement existing mental health programmes. Based in South Wales, EmotionMind Dynamic (EMD) is a lifestyle coaching programme that supports individuals suffering from anxiety or depression. In this evaluation of lifestyle coaching, a mixed-method social return on investment (SROI) methodology was used to value quantitative and qualitative data from face-to-face and online participants. Data collection took place between June 2021 and January 2022. Participants included both self-referred clients and those referred from health services. Mental wellbeing data were collected at baseline and at the end of the programme using the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Baseline and follow-up data were available for 15 face-to-face participants and 17 online clients. Wellbeing valuation quantified and valued outcomes from participants. Results indicated that for every GBP 1 invested, lifestyle coaching generated social values ranging from GBP 4.12-GBP 7.08 for face-to-face clients compared with GBP 2.37-GBP 3.35 for online participants. Overall, lifestyle coaching generated positive social value ratios for both face-to-face and online clients.

Keywords: lifestyle coaching; mental health; social cost–benefit analysis; social prescribing; social return on investment (SROI); wellbeing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
Humans
Investments
Mental Health
Mentoring*
Pandemics / prevention & control

Grants and funding

This project was sponsored by Accelerate: the Welsh Health Innovation and Technology Accelerator (East Wales ERDF No. 80751.), a healthcare innovation programme aligned with the Welsh Government’s Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and A Healthier Wales plan for Health and Social Care. In part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and led by the Life Science Hub Wales in partnership with three leading Welsh Universities, Accelerate Wales enables collaborations between enterprises, healthcare professionals, and academia to engage in innovative, evidence-based health and social care solutions all across Wales. Cardiff University’s Clinical Innovation Accelerator (CIA) uses a flexible approach to develop and support Accelerate-sponsored projects, such as EmotionMind Dynamic, enabling agile innovation and collaborative work to achieve long-term improvements in health and wellbeing outcomes. Accelerate’s infrastructure is explicitly designed to promote sustainable economic development for Wales, increasing employment and establishing new enterprises with novel evidence-based products, services, and interventions with potential for local, national, and international impacts.