6th UK and Ireland Implementation Science Research Conference 2023
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PRESENter
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Biography
Dr Angela Rodrigues is an Associate Professor at Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK. She is broadly interested in the design, delivery, and evaluation of interventions to change health-related behaviours that impact on health, illness and healthcare services.
Specific interests include opportunistic, brief interventions (e.g. MECC), diabetes prevention, smoking cessation, weight management, physical activity, digital health, and skin cancer prevention and sun protection interventions.
Dr Angela’s academic background is in behavioural science and health psychology, and she uses a range of quantitative and qualitative methods within her research, including systematic reviews, qualitative methods, feasibility studies, pilot and definitive trials, process evaluations and surveys. Her publications have been particularly focused on developing and evaluating complex interventions for behaviour change, with a specific emphasis on theory- and evidence-based interventions. The presenting work has been influential: with ~3000 citations, a Google h-index of 14 and cited in 26 policy documents (Source: Overton, policy impact tracking tool).
background
The Making Every Contact Count (MECC) programme provides training and materials to support public-facing workers to encourage health-promoting behaviour change by utilising the day-to-day interactions between organisations and individuals. The project aimed to analyse MECC implementation, delivery models, service reach and system-level relationships within the North East and North Cumbria region (NENC) in England.
MEthod
A four-part multi-method process evaluation was conducted. MECC programme documents were reviewed and mapped against specific criteria (e.g implementation strategies; MECC implementation guide). An online mapping survey was conducted to establish current implementation/delivery of MECC within NENC settings (e.g local authority, NHS, and voluntary sector). Qualitative research, using individual interviews and group discussions, was conducted to establish further understanding of MECC implementation. A realist approach was utilised, applying Normalisation Process Theory, Theoretical Domains Framework, and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
results
Our findings were informed by reviewing five documents, survey participants (n = 19), interviews (n = 18), and three group discussions. Overall, the implementation of MECC within the region was in an early stage, with training mostly delivered between rather than within organisations. The qualitative findings highlighted factors that encourage stakeholders to implement MECC (e.g organisational goals that were facilitated by MECC implementation, including the prevention agenda), supporting resources that facilitate the implementation MECC (e.g logic models), and enabling factors that promote MECC sustainability across the region (e.g buy-in from leadership and management).
Conclusion
The NENC MECC programme is built around regional leadership that supports the implementation process. This process evaluation of the implementation of MECC identified multi-level barriers and facilitators to MECC implementation across the region. Our recommendation for policy and practice can be taken forward to develop targeted strategies to support future MECC implementation. For example, a standardised infrastructure and strategy is needed to combat delivery and implementation issues identified.