Impact of a community based social prescribing intervention in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation. Exploiting a natural experiment to evaluate effects on health and health care utilisation with economic assessment and ethnographic observation.
University of Newcastle upon Tyne · Academic
In term In term in the September 2026 edition: the latest version runs to 17 January 2028.
- Reference
- DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N
- Current version
- v3.2
- Term of current version
- 18 September 2024 to 17 January 2028
- Start date
- 1 February 2019
- Data controller
- Sole Data Controller
- Commercial purposes
- No
- Sublicensing
- No
- Files released to date
- 0
Why the data was released
Objective for processing
The data will be used to evaluate a Social Prescribing (‘Ways to Wellness’) intervention in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne. This is similar, although on a larger scale and more in-depth, to a recent review of a social prescribing scheme pilot in Rotherham in 2016. To-date, there is no robust evidence for the effectiveness of social prescribing and, therefore, there is considerable interest in collecting this evidence among the Department of Health, and NHS policy makers and practitioners.
The outcomes considered are secondary health care utilisation and the cost of utilisation. The data will exploit the fact that the intervention was only implemented in GP practices in the west end of Newcastle. The research team will use data from the whole of Newcastle to compare those individuals who are treated with those individuals who are not treated.
The use of SUS data is essential to investigate if, and in what ways, the ‘Ways to Wellness’ social prescribing scheme has affected the utilization and cost of secondary care for treated patients.
To conduct this study the SUS data provided to the North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) will be linked, by NECS, to GP records (from Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) extracts) and Ways to Wellness data (held by NECS). The SUS data will be pseudonymised by the DSCRO before being released to the Data Processor (NECS). All other identifiable data (specifically the WtW and GP data) will be pseudonymised by NECS in their role as a data processor for WtW and the GPs.
Why are Newcastle University requesting SUS data? This is because these data are used by NECS (who are the Data Processor) and they contain patient utilisation information and the associated tariffs. This will allow the research team to give accurate cost savings that may accrue to health care services in Newcastle/Gateshead CCG from the implementation of Social Prescribing.
Record level data is needed in order to undertake the necessary statistical and econometric analysis. However, all data would be pseudonymised (see below). Newcastle University require no patient level identifiers. The SUS data would be pseudonymised by the DSCRO and supplied to NECS. NECS will also undertake all data linkage as explained in Processing Activities. NECS provide the linked pseudonymised data to Newcastle University.
In summary:
• Estimate the impact of a Social Prescribing intervention on a range of secondary health care utilization outcomes (costs and use).
• The outcomes measured will include use and costs of: A&E, Day case, Elective, Non-elective, Outpatient first, Outpatient follow-up and totals.
• Newcastle University will use results from effectiveness to investigate the cost-effectiveness of a social prescribing intervention.
Legal basis:
The lawful basis for processing data under GDPR has been reviewed against the guidance provided by IGARD has been assessed as acceptable. The details are:
Article 6(1)(e) (processing is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller)
Article 9(2)(j): processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject:
Processing activities
SUS+ data will allow the research team to analyse the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a Social Prescribing (SP) intervention. The data will be used to undertake statistical, econometric and economic analysis relating to how SP affects a range of outcomes, including secondary-care utilisation, cost and health outcomes (derived from QOF data). The study team require pseudonymised data on both the treated (those individuals registered in practices in the West End of Newcastle) and untreated (those individuals registered in practices in the rest of Newcastle) in order to compare outcomes in the two groups. In order to estimate a treatment effect, the study team need data from three years before the start of the SP intervention (April 2015) and five years after (until April 2020). The analyses will control for age, gender, ethnicity and deprivation measures. The study team are focusing on patients with long-term health conditions, specifically type 2 diabetes (T2D), coronary heart disease (CHD) and Heart Failure, and will be controlling for co-morbidities and complexity. The study team will conduct sub-group analyses (e.g. by age-group and long-term condition severity) to investigate whether different groups benefit differently from SP.
Secondary/Community Care data
· NECS will download an extract pf SUS+ [SUS] from the DSCRO
· NECS receive a local provider flow from Ways to Wellness [WtW]. This contains information on age at referral, referral date, start date, assessment dates, wellbeing star (a WtW derived outcome measure), marital status, disability code, ethnicity, gender, number of contacts with link worker, provider.
· Both the SUS and WtW datasets will be pseudonymised with a project specific pseudo key [PSK1]
· North of England CSU [NECS] will receive a GP data extract from each practice. These GP extracts will include patients specific to the study. (Patients aged 40-74 at 1/4/2015 diagnosed with T2D, CHD or Heart Failure)
· Acting as a data processor on behalf of each practice NECS will utilise a bespoke pseudo key issued by the DSCRO to pseudonymise the GP data [PSK2].
· Once pseudonymised the NHS numbers in the GP data will be deleted and postcode is transformed into the less identifying Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA)
· This is undertaken by the NECS primary care support team.
· North of England CSU will receive a pseudonymised local provider flow from Ways to Wellness [WtW] – this will be pseudonymised at source using pseudo key [PSK3] issued by the DSCRO
Linking Data
· DSCRO North of England will pass the SUS+ data to the NECS data management service
· The NECS primary care support team will pass the pseudonymised GP data to the NECS data management service. Note these two sets of data are currently unlinkable due to different pseudo keys
· Upon receipt of the GP data the NECS data management service will request a bridging table from the DSCRO. This table will consist of a mapping between PSK1 and PSK2, there will be no NHS numbers or other identifiers present.
· The NECS data management service will also request a bridging table from the DSCRO for PSK1 to PSK3
· The NECS data management service will then swap the pseudonyms in the GP data and WtW data to use their respective mapped pseudo from the bridging table. The result of this process will produce GP and WtW datasets with consistent pseudonyms as used in the SUS+ data making them linkable. The bridging table will be destroyed once mapping is completed.
Data Provision
· The NECS data management service will provide the linked SUS, WtW and GP data to Newcastle University following the application of a data minimisation process. This will involve restricting the SUS data to only include records for patients (pseudonyms) present in the GP data.
· Neither NECS or Newcastle University have any means of re-identifying patients.
All organisations party to this agreement must comply with the Data Sharing Framework Contract requirements, including those regarding the use (and purposes of that use) by “Personnel” (as defined within the Data Sharing Framework Contract i.e.: employees, agents and contractors of the Data Recipient who may have access to that data).
By signing the data sharing agreement, the data controller confirms that the data processors listed within this agreement have each: confirmed that they understand their roles and responsibilities on behalf of the data controller as defined within the data sharing agreement.
Expected output
The research outputs will consist of peer reviewed papers published in academic journals, research reports for the study funder (the National Institute of Health Research) and Newcastle/Gateshead CCG, and conference presentations. All results will be reported at the aggregate level with small numbers suppressed in line with the applicable NHS Digital guidance, showing the effect of treatment on control groups compared to treatment groups. Statistical results will be presented in tables of aggregate statistics summarizing patient characteristics and will comply with the guidelines on disclosures of potentially identifiable patient data, i.e. no small numbered cells and figures will be reported.
In Summary:
• Journal paper on first set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2019 (Potential target: Health Economics Journal)
• Journal paper on second set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Journal of Health Economics)
• Journal paper on economic review of SP intervention: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Social Science and Medicine)
• Final report for funders - National Institute of Health Research: 1/12/2020
Targeted Conferences include:
International Social Prescribing Conference
The Gerontological Society of America conference
The Royal College of GPs conference (http://www.rcgp.org.uk/annualconference).
International Health Economics Association Conference
The results will be disseminated throughout the CCG. The study is fully supported by the Newcastle/Gateshead CCG and by North East Commissioning Support Unit (NECS); the current chair of the Newcastle-Gateshead CCG has written in support of this project and has been a keen advocate for the review of Social Prescribing. The CCG Clinical Director and Director of Public Health will be members of the grant's Study Steering Committee. The research team have support from the Health Improvement Directorate of Public Health England. The research results will be fed back to all of these groups.
The impact strategy proposed will use the research team’s existing networks which encompass health, the voluntary sector, local and national government. Specifically, these networks comprise: FUSE (UK CRC Centre for Translational Research in Public Health) a body with considerable expertise in knowledge translation including a knowledge exchange broker and a communications group to assist with the dissemination and pathways to impact of research; NIHR School for Public Health Research; NIHR School for Primary Care Research; Public Health England; NHS England, NHS Clinical Commissioners; Association of Directors of Public Health ; National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO); Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO); Local Government Association Community Wellbeing Network; National Government via the Cabinet Office ; the Coalition for Collaborative Care; and National Voices - the leading coalition of health and social care charities aimed at strengthening the voice of patients and service users.
The research team are also providing a study website to allow interested parties to follow the progress of the research.
Expected measurable benefits
• Social Prescribing (SP) is considered to be an important intervention for improving individual management of long-term complex health conditions and so improve individual health, reduce secondary-care use and reduce health inequalities. Currently, there is no robust evidence regarding the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of SP interventions. This research will provide evidence that could determine whether an expansion of SP services should occur.
• The research will identify specific areas where SP may be most effective, accounting for potential heterogeneity in treatment response and allowing SP to be targeted more effectively.
• Nationally, there are numerous SP interventions, but no complete record of the number or cost is available. The Ways to Wellness SP intervention being evaluated costs £10 - 12 million over a seven year period. If the research finds evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, then these services should be extended.
• If the research finds no effectiveness (or not cost-effective) then the money currently spent on SP should be reallocated.
• Initial evidence of any short-run benefits of SP: 1/12/2019
• Initial evidence of sub-group benefits of SP: 1/3/2020
• Evidence on long-term benefits of SP: 1/12/2020
• Evidence on cost-effectiveness of SP: 2/12/2020
Benefits reported so far
1) The Newcastle University research team have published a paper in JAMA open network outlining the health outcomes results from the data analysis. This paper has, according to Altimetric, been viewed nearly 2,000 times and has been widely communicated on social media by both academics and practitioners.
2) Newcastle University have presented results to a range of audiences including a School of Public Health Research (FUSE) led seminar. At this seminar was the National Lead on evidence on personalised care, who was presenting comments on the findings. The research results are feeding into the social prescribing decision making process.
3) The research results have led to a the Newcastle University research team being part of a successful NIHR grant to conduct a national evaluation of the Primary Care Network Social Prescribing roll-out.
Datasets on the current version
Legal basis for provision: Health and Social Care Act 2012 - s261 - 'Other dissemination of information'
| Dataset | Type of data | Sensitivity | Frequency | Confidential data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUS for Commissioners | Anonymised - ICO Code Compliant | Non-Sensitive | One-Off | Does not include the flow of confidential data |
Files released
Files released counts only files released externally by DARS. Access granted in NHS England's own systems, such as its Secure Data Environment, is not included.
No files recorded as released under this agreement.
Version history
The register lists each renewal of this agreement as a separate row. This site has 4 versions.
DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v3.2 18 September 2024 to 17 January 2028
- Title
- Impact of a community based social prescribing intervention in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation. Exploiting a natural experiment to evaluate effects on health and health care utilisation with economic assessment and ethnographic observation.
- Commercial
- No
- Sublicensing
- No
- Datasets
- 1
- Files released
- 0
Datasets: SUS for Commissioners
What changed from DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v2.2
Text removed is struck through; text added is underlined. Unchanged paragraphs are summarised rather than repeated.
| Field | Was | Became |
|---|---|---|
| Start date | 2024-09-18 | |
| End date | 2028-01-17 |
Unchanged: Objective for processing, Processing activities, Expected output, Expected measurable benefits, Benefits reported.
DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v2.2 31 January 2022 to 30 January 2025
- Title
- Impact of a community based social prescribing intervention in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation. Exploiting a natural experiment to evaluate effects on health and health care utilisation with economic assessment and ethnographic observation.
- Commercial
- No
- Sublicensing
- No
- Datasets
- 1
- Files released
- 0
Datasets: SUS for Commissioners
What changed from DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v1.2
Text removed is struck through; text added is underlined. Unchanged paragraphs are summarised rather than repeated.
| Field | Was | Became |
|---|---|---|
| Start date | 2022-01-31 | |
| End date | 2025-01-30 | |
| SUS for Commissioners: legal basis | Health and Social Care Act 2012 - s261 - 'Other dissemination of information' |
Benefits reported
Not stated in the previous version; added here.
1) The Newcastle University research team have published a paper in JAMA open network outlining the health outcomes results from the data analysis. This paper has, according to Altimetric, been viewed nearly 2,000 times and has been widely communicated on social media by both academics and practitioners.
2) Newcastle University have presented results to a range of audiences including a School of Public Health Research (FUSE) led seminar. At this seminar was the National Lead on evidence on personalised care, who was presenting comments on the findings. The research results are feeding into the social prescribing decision making process.
3) The research results have led to a the Newcastle University research team being part of a successful NIHR grant to conduct a national evaluation of the Primary Care Network Social Prescribing roll-out.
Unchanged: Objective for processing, Processing activities, Expected output, Expected measurable benefits.
Objective for processing
The data will be used to evaluate a Social Prescribing (‘Ways to Wellness’) intervention in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne. This is similar, although on a larger scale and more in-depth, to a recent review of a social prescribing scheme pilot in Rotherham in 2016. To-date, there is no robust evidence for the effectiveness of social prescribing and, therefore, there is considerable interest in collecting this evidence among the Department of Health, and NHS policy makers and practitioners.
The outcomes considered are secondary health care utilisation and the cost of utilisation. The data will exploit the fact that the intervention was only implemented in GP practices in the west end of Newcastle. The research team will use data from the whole of Newcastle to compare those individuals who are treated with those individuals who are not treated.
The use of SUS data is essential to investigate if, and in what ways, the ‘Ways to Wellness’ social prescribing scheme has affected the utilization and cost of secondary care for treated patients.
To conduct this study the SUS data provided to the North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) will be linked, by NECS, to GP records (from Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) extracts) and Ways to Wellness data (held by NECS). The SUS data will be pseudonymised by the DSCRO before being released to the Data Processor (NECS). All other identifiable data (specifically the WtW and GP data) will be pseudonymised by NECS in their role as a data processor for WtW and the GPs.
Why are Newcastle University requesting SUS data? This is because these data are used by NECS (who are the Data Processor) and they contain patient utilisation information and the associated tariffs. This will allow the research team to give accurate cost savings that may accrue to health care services in Newcastle/Gateshead CCG from the implementation of Social Prescribing.
Record level data is needed in order to undertake the necessary statistical and econometric analysis. However, all data would be pseudonymised (see below). Newcastle University require no patient level identifiers. The SUS data would be pseudonymised by the DSCRO and supplied to NECS. NECS will also undertake all data linkage as explained in Processing Activities. NECS provide the linked pseudonymised data to Newcastle University.
In summary:
• Estimate the impact of a Social Prescribing intervention on a range of secondary health care utilization outcomes (costs and use).
• The outcomes measured will include use and costs of: A&E, Day case, Elective, Non-elective, Outpatient first, Outpatient follow-up and totals.
• Newcastle University will use results from effectiveness to investigate the cost-effectiveness of a social prescribing intervention.
Legal basis:
The lawful basis for processing data under GDPR has been reviewed against the guidance provided by IGARD has been assessed as acceptable. The details are:
Article 6(1)(e) (processing is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller)
Article 9(2)(j): processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject:
Expected output
The research outputs will consist of peer reviewed papers published in academic journals, research reports for the study funder (the National Institute of Health Research) and Newcastle/Gateshead CCG, and conference presentations. All results will be reported at the aggregate level with small numbers suppressed in line with the applicable NHS Digital guidance, showing the effect of treatment on control groups compared to treatment groups. Statistical results will be presented in tables of aggregate statistics summarizing patient characteristics and will comply with the guidelines on disclosures of potentially identifiable patient data, i.e. no small numbered cells and figures will be reported.
In Summary:
• Journal paper on first set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2019 (Potential target: Health Economics Journal)
• Journal paper on second set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Journal of Health Economics)
• Journal paper on economic review of SP intervention: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Social Science and Medicine)
• Final report for funders - National Institute of Health Research: 1/12/2020
Targeted Conferences include:
International Social Prescribing Conference
The Gerontological Society of America conference
The Royal College of GPs conference (http://www.rcgp.org.uk/annualconference).
International Health Economics Association Conference
The results will be disseminated throughout the CCG. The study is fully supported by the Newcastle/Gateshead CCG and by North East Commissioning Support Unit (NECS); the current chair of the Newcastle-Gateshead CCG has written in support of this project and has been a keen advocate for the review of Social Prescribing. The CCG Clinical Director and Director of Public Health will be members of the grant's Study Steering Committee. The research team have support from the Health Improvement Directorate of Public Health England. The research results will be fed back to all of these groups.
The impact strategy proposed will use the research team’s existing networks which encompass health, the voluntary sector, local and national government. Specifically, these networks comprise: FUSE (UK CRC Centre for Translational Research in Public Health) a body with considerable expertise in knowledge translation including a knowledge exchange broker and a communications group to assist with the dissemination and pathways to impact of research; NIHR School for Public Health Research; NIHR School for Primary Care Research; Public Health England; NHS England, NHS Clinical Commissioners; Association of Directors of Public Health ; National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO); Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO); Local Government Association Community Wellbeing Network; National Government via the Cabinet Office ; the Coalition for Collaborative Care; and National Voices - the leading coalition of health and social care charities aimed at strengthening the voice of patients and service users.
The research team are also providing a study website to allow interested parties to follow the progress of the research.
Benefits reported
1) The Newcastle University research team have published a paper in JAMA open network outlining the health outcomes results from the data analysis. This paper has, according to Altimetric, been viewed nearly 2,000 times and has been widely communicated on social media by both academics and practitioners.
2) Newcastle University have presented results to a range of audiences including a School of Public Health Research (FUSE) led seminar. At this seminar was the National Lead on evidence on personalised care, who was presenting comments on the findings. The research results are feeding into the social prescribing decision making process.
3) The research results have led to a the Newcastle University research team being part of a successful NIHR grant to conduct a national evaluation of the Primary Care Network Social Prescribing roll-out.
DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v1.2 1 April 2019 to 30 January 2022
- Title
- Impact of a community based social prescribing intervention in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation. Exploiting a natural experiment to evaluate effects on health and health care utilisation with economic assessment and ethnographic observation.
- Commercial
- No
- Sublicensing
- No
- Datasets
- 1
- Files released
- 0
Datasets: SUS for Commissioners
What changed from DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v0.8
Text removed is struck through; text added is underlined. Unchanged paragraphs are summarised rather than repeated.
| Field | Was | Became |
|---|---|---|
| Start date | 2019-04-01 |
Objective for processing
[10 paragraphs unchanged] Legal basis: The lawful basis for processing data under GDPR has been reviewed against the guidance provided by IGARD has been assessed as acceptable. The details are: Article 6(1)(e) (processing is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller) Article 9(2)(j): processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject:
Benefits reported
Stated in the previous version and removed here.
Yielded Benefits is not a requirement for new applications.
Unchanged: Processing activities, Expected output, Expected measurable benefits.
Objective for processing
The data will be used to evaluate a Social Prescribing (‘Ways to Wellness’) intervention in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne. This is similar, although on a larger scale and more in-depth, to a recent review of a social prescribing scheme pilot in Rotherham in 2016. To-date, there is no robust evidence for the effectiveness of social prescribing and, therefore, there is considerable interest in collecting this evidence among the Department of Health, and NHS policy makers and practitioners.
The outcomes considered are secondary health care utilisation and the cost of utilisation. The data will exploit the fact that the intervention was only implemented in GP practices in the west end of Newcastle. The research team will use data from the whole of Newcastle to compare those individuals who are treated with those individuals who are not treated.
The use of SUS data is essential to investigate if, and in what ways, the ‘Ways to Wellness’ social prescribing scheme has affected the utilization and cost of secondary care for treated patients.
To conduct this study the SUS data provided to the North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) will be linked, by NECS, to GP records (from Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) extracts) and Ways to Wellness data (held by NECS). The SUS data will be pseudonymised by the DSCRO before being released to the Data Processor (NECS). All other identifiable data (specifically the WtW and GP data) will be pseudonymised by NECS in their role as a data processor for WtW and the GPs.
Why are Newcastle University requesting SUS data? This is because these data are used by NECS (who are the Data Processor) and they contain patient utilisation information and the associated tariffs. This will allow the research team to give accurate cost savings that may accrue to health care services in Newcastle/Gateshead CCG from the implementation of Social Prescribing.
Record level data is needed in order to undertake the necessary statistical and econometric analysis. However, all data would be pseudonymised (see below). Newcastle University require no patient level identifiers. The SUS data would be pseudonymised by the DSCRO and supplied to NECS. NECS will also undertake all data linkage as explained in Processing Activities. NECS provide the linked pseudonymised data to Newcastle University.
In summary:
• Estimate the impact of a Social Prescribing intervention on a range of secondary health care utilization outcomes (costs and use).
• The outcomes measured will include use and costs of: A&E, Day case, Elective, Non-elective, Outpatient first, Outpatient follow-up and totals.
• Newcastle University will use results from effectiveness to investigate the cost-effectiveness of a social prescribing intervention.
Legal basis:
The lawful basis for processing data under GDPR has been reviewed against the guidance provided by IGARD has been assessed as acceptable. The details are:
Article 6(1)(e) (processing is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller)
Article 9(2)(j): processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject:
Expected output
The research outputs will consist of peer reviewed papers published in academic journals, research reports for the study funder (the National Institute of Health Research) and Newcastle/Gateshead CCG, and conference presentations. All results will be reported at the aggregate level with small numbers suppressed in line with the applicable NHS Digital guidance, showing the effect of treatment on control groups compared to treatment groups. Statistical results will be presented in tables of aggregate statistics summarizing patient characteristics and will comply with the guidelines on disclosures of potentially identifiable patient data, i.e. no small numbered cells and figures will be reported.
In Summary:
• Journal paper on first set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2019 (Potential target: Health Economics Journal)
• Journal paper on second set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Journal of Health Economics)
• Journal paper on economic review of SP intervention: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Social Science and Medicine)
• Final report for funders - National Institute of Health Research: 1/12/2020
Targeted Conferences include:
International Social Prescribing Conference
The Gerontological Society of America conference
The Royal College of GPs conference (http://www.rcgp.org.uk/annualconference).
International Health Economics Association Conference
The results will be disseminated throughout the CCG. The study is fully supported by the Newcastle/Gateshead CCG and by North East Commissioning Support Unit (NECS); the current chair of the Newcastle-Gateshead CCG has written in support of this project and has been a keen advocate for the review of Social Prescribing. The CCG Clinical Director and Director of Public Health will be members of the grant's Study Steering Committee. The research team have support from the Health Improvement Directorate of Public Health England. The research results will be fed back to all of these groups.
The impact strategy proposed will use the research team’s existing networks which encompass health, the voluntary sector, local and national government. Specifically, these networks comprise: FUSE (UK CRC Centre for Translational Research in Public Health) a body with considerable expertise in knowledge translation including a knowledge exchange broker and a communications group to assist with the dissemination and pathways to impact of research; NIHR School for Public Health Research; NIHR School for Primary Care Research; Public Health England; NHS England, NHS Clinical Commissioners; Association of Directors of Public Health ; National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO); Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO); Local Government Association Community Wellbeing Network; National Government via the Cabinet Office ; the Coalition for Collaborative Care; and National Voices - the leading coalition of health and social care charities aimed at strengthening the voice of patients and service users.
The research team are also providing a study website to allow interested parties to follow the progress of the research.
DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v0.8 1 February 2019 to 30 January 2022
- Title
- Impact of a community based social prescribing intervention in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation. Exploiting a natural experiment to evaluate effects on health and health care utilisation with economic assessment and ethnographic observation.
- Commercial
- No
- Sublicensing
- No
- Datasets
- 1
- Files released
- 0
Datasets: SUS for Commissioners
Objective for processing
The data will be used to evaluate a Social Prescribing (‘Ways to Wellness’) intervention in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne. This is similar, although on a larger scale and more in-depth, to a recent review of a social prescribing scheme pilot in Rotherham in 2016. To-date, there is no robust evidence for the effectiveness of social prescribing and, therefore, there is considerable interest in collecting this evidence among the Department of Health, and NHS policy makers and practitioners.
The outcomes considered are secondary health care utilisation and the cost of utilisation. The data will exploit the fact that the intervention was only implemented in GP practices in the west end of Newcastle. The research team will use data from the whole of Newcastle to compare those individuals who are treated with those individuals who are not treated.
The use of SUS data is essential to investigate if, and in what ways, the ‘Ways to Wellness’ social prescribing scheme has affected the utilization and cost of secondary care for treated patients.
To conduct this study the SUS data provided to the North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) will be linked, by NECS, to GP records (from Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) extracts) and Ways to Wellness data (held by NECS). The SUS data will be pseudonymised by the DSCRO before being released to the Data Processor (NECS). All other identifiable data (specifically the WtW and GP data) will be pseudonymised by NECS in their role as a data processor for WtW and the GPs.
Why are Newcastle University requesting SUS data? This is because these data are used by NECS (who are the Data Processor) and they contain patient utilisation information and the associated tariffs. This will allow the research team to give accurate cost savings that may accrue to health care services in Newcastle/Gateshead CCG from the implementation of Social Prescribing.
Record level data is needed in order to undertake the necessary statistical and econometric analysis. However, all data would be pseudonymised (see below). Newcastle University require no patient level identifiers. The SUS data would be pseudonymised by the DSCRO and supplied to NECS. NECS will also undertake all data linkage as explained in Processing Activities. NECS provide the linked pseudonymised data to Newcastle University.
In summary:
• Estimate the impact of a Social Prescribing intervention on a range of secondary health care utilization outcomes (costs and use).
• The outcomes measured will include use and costs of: A&E, Day case, Elective, Non-elective, Outpatient first, Outpatient follow-up and totals.
• Newcastle University will use results from effectiveness to investigate the cost-effectiveness of a social prescribing intervention.
Expected output
The research outputs will consist of peer reviewed papers published in academic journals, research reports for the study funder (the National Institute of Health Research) and Newcastle/Gateshead CCG, and conference presentations. All results will be reported at the aggregate level with small numbers suppressed in line with the applicable NHS Digital guidance, showing the effect of treatment on control groups compared to treatment groups. Statistical results will be presented in tables of aggregate statistics summarizing patient characteristics and will comply with the guidelines on disclosures of potentially identifiable patient data, i.e. no small numbered cells and figures will be reported.
In Summary:
• Journal paper on first set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2019 (Potential target: Health Economics Journal)
• Journal paper on second set of data extracts estimating treatment effects on secondary care services and health outcomes: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Journal of Health Economics)
• Journal paper on economic review of SP intervention: 1/12/2020 (Potential target: Social Science and Medicine)
• Final report for funders - National Institute of Health Research: 1/12/2020
Targeted Conferences include:
International Social Prescribing Conference
The Gerontological Society of America conference
The Royal College of GPs conference (http://www.rcgp.org.uk/annualconference).
International Health Economics Association Conference
The results will be disseminated throughout the CCG. The study is fully supported by the Newcastle/Gateshead CCG and by North East Commissioning Support Unit (NECS); the current chair of the Newcastle-Gateshead CCG has written in support of this project and has been a keen advocate for the review of Social Prescribing. The CCG Clinical Director and Director of Public Health will be members of the grant's Study Steering Committee. The research team have support from the Health Improvement Directorate of Public Health England. The research results will be fed back to all of these groups.
The impact strategy proposed will use the research team’s existing networks which encompass health, the voluntary sector, local and national government. Specifically, these networks comprise: FUSE (UK CRC Centre for Translational Research in Public Health) a body with considerable expertise in knowledge translation including a knowledge exchange broker and a communications group to assist with the dissemination and pathways to impact of research; NIHR School for Public Health Research; NIHR School for Primary Care Research; Public Health England; NHS England, NHS Clinical Commissioners; Association of Directors of Public Health ; National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO); Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO); Local Government Association Community Wellbeing Network; National Government via the Cabinet Office ; the Coalition for Collaborative Care; and National Voices - the leading coalition of health and social care charities aimed at strengthening the voice of patients and service users.
The research team are also providing a study website to allow interested parties to follow the progress of the research.
Benefits reported
Yielded Benefits is not a requirement for new applications.
Register history
When this agreement appeared in, or was edited in, each monthly edition of the register. Built by comparing every edition this site holds, the earliest of which is July 2021.
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July 2021 —
already listed in the earliest edition this site holds, so it may be older. 2 versions: DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v0.8, DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v1.2
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December 2021
Amended DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v1.2
- Objective for processing:
reworded
Show the change
[10 paragraphs unchanged] Legal basis: The lawful basis for processing data under GDPR has been reviewed against the guidance provided by IGARD has been assessed as acceptable. The details are: Article 6(1)(e) (processing is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller) Article 9(2)(j): processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject:
- Objective for processing:
reworded
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January 2022
1 version added: DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v2.2
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December 2022
Register-wide edit DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v0.8, DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v1.2 — Datasets: legal basis: “
s261(1) and” taken out. Made to 639 agreements in this edition, so it is reported once, on the changes page, and not counted as an amendment of this agreement. -
December 2023
Renamed Applicant organisation: Newcastle University now named University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Not counted as a change.Renamed Data controllers: Newcastle University now named University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Not counted as a change.
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November 2024
1 version added: DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N-v3.2
"Amended in place" means NHS England changed the record without issuing a new version number. The register publishes no changelog for those edits; this site infers them by comparing editions. An edit is attributed to the edition it first appears in, not to the date it was made.
Cite this page
NHS England (2026) Data Uses Register, September 2026 edition, agreement DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N, “Impact of a community based social prescribing intervention in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation. Exploiting a natural experiment to evaluate effects on health and health care utilisation with economic assessment and ethnographic observation.”. Read via NHS Data Access Explorer (unofficial), https://healthdatauses.uk/agreements/dars-nic-204646-b9g2n/ (accessed [date]).
This address stays the same, but the page is rebuilt with each monthly edition, so the citation names the edition it shows. Every edition's data is kept in the facts store.
Source: datausesregister_september2026.xlsx, September 2026 edition of the NHS England Data Uses Register. Search that workbook for DARS-NIC-204646-B9G2N to see the original rows.