The Green Dreams Project CICDr James Fleming MBChB MSc FRCGP

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

Supported by:

Solutions to social problems when no other agency can help

What we do

• See patients via GP referral with multiple social problems, when existing organisations are struggling to help and when these problems are impacting on their physical and mental health

• See patients who others can not help - isolated, long unemployed, furthest from labour market, agoraphobic, clinically dependant, excluded, low self-esteem

• Other issues - substance misuse, learning difficulties, educational difficulties, life crises, poor housing, financial problems.

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

Kate What we did 30 F ‘Am I depressed?’ Wants

sick/fit note Tearful, rock bottom, drinking Rent arrears, debt, poor housing Little self-esteem, not worked for

years Stuck where she is, can not see a

future Repeated attendances at GP, little

progress

o Send from GP, motivate, believeo Identify barriers to increased QOLo Contact JC+, go with hero Liaise c landlord, HMRC, DWP, Welfare

Rightso Involve in one of our projects, build

confidenceo Documents, correspondence, CVo Access Training and coordinateo Lifestyle and health issueso Now self-employed after 6 years

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

Our Uniqueness is our

Triad of Support:

‘The underlying approach to the Green Dreams Project is one of empowerment and

enablement … a reduction of just chemical based intervention, to a more holistic view of

the person’. (UCLAN, March 2013)

Elderly and Isolated

• Bingo, self funding• Day trips – self funding (Hawes,

Skipton)• Meet old friends, laughter• Now, seldom come to doctor• Also, home visit, befriending,

fitness, craft, voluntary organisations, walks, computer, procure space, Art Group, Theatre Group, Knit and Knatter

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

Independent Evaluation

University of Central LancashireMarch 2013

Regular Evaluation

Study completed by a team of researchers from the UCLAN ‘School of Health’ who independently interviewed a range of key stakeholder and examining project data monitoring forms. Findings were cross referenced with a literature review to support conclusions.

Stakeholders independently reported that the project is extremely beneficial to all service users.

> Mood> Self esteem and confidence> Coping skills< Social isolation < Primary care attendance< Dependence on medical care

We monitor:

Service Users and their outcomes

Service user satisfaction

Stakeholder opinions

Independent GP evaluations of every patient and their outcomes.

Methods

In house – quarterly reports

Outside evaluation to reduce bias

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

Irwell Medical Centre, Rossendale

• 8 GPs• 14,231 patients • 1 part time Green Dreams Practitioner• 101 patients engaged with The Green Dreams

Project• Based in small historic mill town - high levels of

deprivation – wide variety of presenting issues

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

Debt relie

f

Business

set u

p

Housing im

proved

Education /

training

Welfa

re benfits cla

imed

Isolation re

duced

Anxiety

/ Depressi

on reduce

d

Advoca

cy

Social c

are package in

place

Aids / adaptations i

n place

Appropriate health

care acce

ssed

Crisis

help

Relationships i

mproved

Confidence /

self e

steem in

crease

d

Returned to w

ork

Improve

d work

prospects

Bullying re

solve

d

Weight im

provement

Mental Health

Improve

d

Employment Is

sues r

esolve

d

Language barri

ers reso

lved

Bereavement s

upport in place

0

5

10

15

20

25

Issues Presented vs Outcomes Achieved(Sample of 20% of Irwell Medical Practice Patients)

Issues presented Outcomes achieved

‘The Green Dreams service has provided support and advice to many of our patients…improving self esteem

and confidence and allowing patients to contribute and integrate back into the community, whether this is by returning to the workplace, becoming socially part of

the community again or by helping improve the environment around them’.

(Strategic Manager, Irwell Medical Practice, June 2014)

www.greendreamsproject.co.uk

20%

sam

ple

of

clie

nts

from

1

surg

ery

Approx. £81,610 of social value generated

We looked conservatively at what social costs might be incurred if our intervention had not taken place…….