Author: CLAHRC
Medication adherence in asthma: can pharmacists help?
One to one specialling and sitters in acute care hospitals: reviewing the evidence on cost effectiveness and quality of care
What are the challenges of knowledge co-production in embedded research?
How can we improve dementia care in UK black elders?
NIHR CLAHRC Career Development Conference
We joined forces with the other two London CLAHRCs to deliver a career development conference for researchers on October 4th. Read the blog below reflecting on a successful event….
CLAHRC evidence influences decisions on front-line services
New knowledge generated by our research impacts commissioning and funding decisions on welfare advice
Our work to investigate the impact of locating welfare advisers in GP surgeries is bearing fruit as the new knowledge and evidence we have generated is influencing commissioning decisions for these services across London and beyond.
We know that a significant amount of General Practitioners workload is generated by patients approaching them with non-clinical issues such as debt, housing and immigration.

While these concerns undoubtedly impact health and wellbeing, doctors are not necessarily the best professionals to assist. Haringey Council trialled a scheme to locate welfare advice, and welfare advisers in GP surgeries to deal with these issues.
We evaluated the impact of this advice (provided by Citizen’s Advice Bureau staff) on both GP workloads and on the health, wellbeing and use of services by the patients affected.
Our evidence has been used to support the following decisions –
Haringey: our evidence was used to support retention of all except one primary care co-located welfare advice service in and to provide an additional more intensive service at a mental health hospital (St Ann’s Hospital);

Camden: although the CCG decided to cease funding for GP outreach two GP practices have used the study findings to support ongoing funding for services at their practices (including an application for Big Lottery funding)

Deryshire; Citizens Advice services in Derbyshire have requested study findings to support a business case for ongoing funding of GP outreach in the region

Sussex: our study has been used as a basis to develop an evaluation framework in Sussex

Read our evidence


Read more about the study:
Does locating welfare advice in GP surgeries improve health and reduce strain on the NHS?