Public Health evaluations in County Durham
Evaluation is an essential part of all our Public Health programmes and services. They help us to understand what is being delivered and how effective it is, and why. The evidence, data and insights gained from our evaluations also inform our decision making and resource allocation.
To help us do this, we have established a Public Health Evaluation Steering Group, with representation from Public Health, Let’s Talk County Durham, and Durham University, plus Commissioning where relevant. The Group act as a critical friend to advise on the most appropriate evaluation and engagement methods, as well as knowledge mobilisation to increase awareness. We want our communities to understand what we are doing, and other local authorities to learn from our experiences and insights.
Carrying out quality evaluations ensures we not only measure the impacts our programmes have, but also gives us immediate insights to help us thread continuous improvement into our programmes year on year through process evaluations, increasing effectiveness, efficiency and programme reach, designed to further reduce health inequalities.
Here you will find condensed summaries called REACH Insights, giving you a taste of our evaluations. We will be adding to these on an ongoing basis.
REACH Insights
REACH Insights – Community Champions Evaluation
REACH Insights – Stop Smoking Incentive Scheme Evaluation
Research and evidence from communities in rural County Durham
Community-led research offers valuable insight into the lived experience and priorities of rural communities. It complements existing data by bringing local knowledge and real experiences into the evidence base, helping inform more responsive decisions, services, and policies.
Designed and delivered by community researchers, and supported by Rural Durham Community Research Network, the latest findings provide insight into the experiences of young people, families and older people linked to social isolation, wellbeing, transport barriers, community belonging, and access to opportunities.
You can explore the research findings here: https://www.communityresearchdurham.org/resources-research