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

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.

Is lifestyle coaching a potential cost-effective intervention to address the backlog for mental health counselling? A Rapid Review

“…Funding: This review is to compliment the Emotion Mind Dynamic study [67]. The researchers who contributed towards this review are funded by Health and Care Economics Cymru, which is funded by Health and Care Research Wales, Welsh Government.…”

Nature-based social prescribing programmes: opportunities, challenges, and facilitators for implementation

“…SCBA can determine whether the benefits of a programme offset the costs and convert this into monetary terms (94). Methodologically, Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation, when incorporated into a co-designed and co-produced approach from the outset (95), can be used to calculate monetary values for a wide range of outcomes of NBSP programmes, whether these already have a financial value or not. SROI analysis produces a description of how a NBSP programme generates value for key stakeholders and provides a Social Value Ratio, indicating how much social value (in £) is generated for every £1 of investment.…”

“…SROI analysis produces a description of how a NBSP programme generates value for key stakeholders and provides a Social Value Ratio, indicating how much social value (in £) is generated for every £1 of investment. For every £1 invested in a preventative NBSP, the social values generated range from £4.90 to £9.30 along with enhancing social cohesion, improving levels of health, wealth, and wellbeing (50,95).…”