Using capability wellbeing measures to inform outcome-based commissioning at Gloucestershire CCG

In this study, we are working with commissioners in Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to test the use of a different way of measuring outcomes aimed at assessing patients’ ‘capability wellbeing’, which means their ability to do and be things in life that are important to them.

Commissioners are people who decide what healthcare services are needed in a local area. They need to look at both the costs and benefits of individual services when deciding which services should be provided for people locally.

It is usually possible to work out the cost of services, but it is harder to measure how much they are helping people. This is particularly the case when services benefit the patient in ways beyond their physical health.

In this study, we are working with commissioners in Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to test the use of a different way of measuring outcomes aimed at assessing patients’ ‘capability wellbeing’, which means their ability to do and be things in life that are important to them.

Project aims

We want to explore whether it is possible to collect capability wellbeing data as part of patient care in three services. The services are:

  • physiotherapy for lower-back pain
  • art therapy for mental health
  • a community-based service for frail older adults

We selected these services because the benefits to patients are expected to be broader than just physical health changes.

We also want to ask patients and healthcare workers in these services about their views on using these outcome measures, and how well they think the measures capture their experience of receiving or delivering care.

What we hope to achieve

This project should help us to understand how broader outcome measures, such as capability-wellbeing measures, can improve how we assess how beneficial services are to patients.

This will be particularly important where expected outcomes are likely to improve other aspects of patients’ lives, as well as their physical health.

Lead collaborators

Partners on this project

Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board

Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (NHS Gloucestershire) is responsible for planning and buying services to meet the health needs of local people. It also brings partners together to ensure the county’s NHS provides the best possible care.