CARE and Repair West Lothian, managed by Horizon Housing Association (part of the Link group), has been proven to generate significant social return on the investment made in the service.
Following a Social Return of Investment (SROI) evaluation, it was found that for every £1 invested there was a social return of £4.53. The range of outcomes that benefitted users of the service included reducing falls and accidents in the home, increased ability to remain living at home and reduced costs for social care and health services.
Mr and Mrs Gracie, recent users of the Care and Repair service, said: “At first we were very uncertain about the process of having an adaptation to our home. From first contact with the Care & Repair team we were put at ease.
“The Care and Repair Officer visited us at home and provided re-assurance. We felt that we were in very good hands.
“Our wet floor shower room has made such a difference to our daily lives and we would not have been able to manage the process by ourselves. We can’t praise Care and Repair highly enough.”
The study was carried out by Link’s Community Regeneration Officer Sheila Maxwell, an accredited SROI Practitioner, and has been fully assured by the SROI Network, the national body for promoting and verifying SROI activity in the UK.
The return on investment was evaluated against outcomes for service users and other stakeholders, including social and health care services.
Robert Thomson, Care and Repair Scotland, said: “This study is really encouraging, as it demonstrates what we have known for some time, that Care and Repair services are not only valued by our customers but actually do provide funding partners with added value for money.
“Congratulations to Horizon for commissioning this study and to the staff of West Lothian Care and Repair for such a positive outcome.”
Julia Fitzpatrick, Horizon’s managing director, said “This is the first time the social return on investment in Care and Repair services has been independently evaluated. Many of us know the impact that small repairs and adaptations can have on the quality of life and independence of older people.
“This report demonstrates clearly that West Lothian Council’s investment in the service delivers wider value for money.”
Craig Sanderson, Link group chief executive, adds: “This is the third SROI evaluation undertaken on different aspects of Link’s work and all have measured and demonstrated the social impact of funding from the public purse – which is revealed to be neither a ‘gift’ nor a grant but an investment which generates a significant return.
“It is essential that third sector organisations do much more to prove their effectiveness and efficiency in this way, especially given increased outsourcing by national and local governments, the continuing cuts in their budgets and their over-emphasis on price at the expense of overall best value.”
Horizon has been the managing agent of Care and Repair West Lothian since 2001 and has assisted over 10,000 older and disabled home owners with essential adaptations or repairs to their homes.
In 2012, Horizon Housing Association also became the managing agent for the delivery of Care and Repair Services in North Lanarkshire.
A summary of the report can be downloaded from http://linkhousing.org.uk/images/uploads/Care_Repair_West_Lothian_SROI_Summary2.pdf
Photo : Care & Repair officer, Liz Wylie, with service user Mrs Gracie.
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Contact: Alison Spence
Email: aran@linkhaltd.co.uk
