How and why does Local Area Coordination work for people in different contexts

Bibliographic Data

ID4563739
AuthorsJames Mason (0000-0001-9210-4082, University of Northampton), Chad Oatley (0000-0002-1034-3694, Southampton Solent University, corresponding author), Kevin Harris (0000-0003-2825-1728, Southampton Solent University), Louis Ryan (0000-0003-2716-3419, Southampton Solent University)
Year2021
Volume14
Issue1
Publication date2021-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMethodological Innovations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2059-7991 • E-ISSN: 2059-7991
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2059799120985381
OpenAlexW3126934390
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited21

The increasing adoption of Local Area Coordination across the United Kingdom as a strengths-based approach to acting on inequalities which impact on individual health and well-being, and reducing reliance and avoidable use of health and social care services, has catalysed increasing calls for evidence to justify economic commitment. In a time of austerity where extreme pressure is on resources to prove short-term outputs, Pawson and Tilley's realist evaluation methodology holds significant promise in asking critical questions of how and why programmes work. Ultimately, such philosophical standpoints facilitate opportunities to examine whether the sustainability of programmes are cost-effective for the system in the longer term. This article draws upon the findings of a realist evaluation of Local Area Coordination on the Isle of Wight and establishes how and why the programme works for people and local communities. A blend of realist approaches, Q-method and realist interviews were adopted within this study. The study's sample was a cross section of 18 people who engaged with the Local Area Coordination programme across the Isle of Wight. The findings of the evaluation established that the Local Area Coordinators' ability to facilitate a 'golden triangle' of listening, trust and time were factors which made Local Area Coordination work. It was also clear that Local Area Coordination worked for different people in different ways, demonstrated through the contextual differences between three subgroups who were categorised based on shared viewpoints, and presented through the holistic narratives and corroborating interview data

Active listening · Austerity · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Viewpoints · Work (physics · Community Health and Development · Engineering · Health Policy Implementation Science · Q Methodology Applications

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