Lifeline

Complex Lifestyles

Briefly describe the initiative/ project/ service

Research highlighted that some vulnerable individuals took a disproportional amount of resources and who presented to many service providers on a regular basis, but were treated independently by each service. A holistic approach would look break this cycle.

The coordinated service is required to be responsive, coordinated and specific to each individual client, who repeatedly use emergency interventions presenting with 3 or more of the following:
* Alcohol or drugs misuse
* Mental ill health (inc self-harm behaviours/risk of suicide)
* Offending or risk of offending (or victim of crime)
* Poor/unstable accommodation or homelessness

The objectives of the Services are to:
* Increase access to, uptake of and engagement with other appropriate services, whilst reducing inappropriate Service provision
* Increase use of appropriate services and work to resolve access barriers
* Lead multi-agency collaborative action plans for individuals’ specific needs
* Reduce avoidable and multiple presentations to statutory services, particularly for crisis interventions inc. hospital admissions
* Build self-management/self-help skills to achieve sustainable resilience and improve the physical, mental health and well-being

Why do you think it should win this award?

Through initiating a multi-agency collaboration with a number of agencies, inc. Emergency Services, GP’s, Bolton NHS A&E, Mental Health services and homeless agencies, Lifeline has provided a holistic response to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.

The service works flexibly and proactively to engage clients in the service, reducing the likelihood of them being at further risk of harm to themselves and where applicable to others, and to reduce their need for and use of emergency interventions.

Pathways have been created with referral agencies and the team has an active presence with local GPs, Bolton NHS A&E, Bolton RAID team, Bolton NHS Mental Health Services and the Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

Since the service starting in March 2016 it has had 103 referrals, all of which have met the threshold criteria of having 3 or more of the following:
Alcohol or drugs misuse / mental ill health (including self-harm and risk of suicide) / risk of offending / unstable accommodation or homelessness
The service has sustained a continuing service engagement level of 94%, this is well above the expectations originally set.

What are the key achievements?

The Complex Lifestyles Service has had 103 clients referred through its referral pathways since March. All have been deemed to have complex needs, with drugs/alcohol and mental ill health being the main presenting issues.

Due to the complexity of needs & the difficulty in engagement, Lifeline’s key workers, have to frequently go above and beyond to actively seek engagement with vulnerable clients, who can be mistrusting of services and be difficult develop trusting relationships with.

Lifeline has been able to evidence through case studies and from partner agencies that the service has made a contribution in reducing the cycle of complex needs and freed up resources within partner agencies.

With a budget of £99,000 a year, a cost benefit analysis over the first 6 months operation has shown a saving of £15,000-£20,000 per client. With one individual estimated by GM Police as saving over £30,000 through engagement with the service.
With currently 70 clients having been engaged this has led to a evidenced saving of £140,000 and this is projected to be £280,000 after 12 months. This is a benefit return ratio of 3:1