Matrix Evidence

Work undertaken by The Reviews Team to support the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health in producing a national clinical guideline has been published. Read the guidance paper here. This work was part of The Reviews Team’s business strategy to provide capacity to other centres without going to tender.

Matrix Evidence previously wrote a paper on economics in social care for Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). SCIE have now developed this further and have published their approach to economic evaluations. In this report, Matrix Evidence are acknowledged as having worked with them to develop this approach. Read the report here.

The Reviews team have won their first piece of work from United Biosource Corporation (UBC), a large organisation that supports life science companies to develop and commercialise their products. The project will be an evidence review to support a manufacturer’s submission of evidence for a Single Technology Appraisal (STA) to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The review is on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pixantrone for relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).

The Reviews team has been awarded a contract to do a systematic review on the risk and protective factors associated with violent and general reoffending for the MoJ. The evidence review will contribute to the improvement and development of the Offender Assessment System (OASys).

The Home Office (Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism) has just published our report on Understanding vulnerability and resilience in individuals to the influence of Al Qa’ida violent extremism. It can be downloaded here.

This Rapid Evidence Assessment identifies the social, psychological and physical factors for vulnerability or resilience to Al Qa‘ida influenced violent extremism. In the absence of a mature empirical evidence base it explores what transferrable knowledge can be taken from the more developed literature on other types of violent activity e.g. other terrorist activity, gangs, cults, etc.

School Home Support (SHS) is a national charity working with vulnerable and excluded children and families. SHS provides trained, experienced and professional workers who become paid members of the school’s pastoral care team, enabling teachers and school management teams to focus on managing core school business and delivering the curriculum. Matrix Evidence has previously worked with SHS and produced an Economic Analysis of SHS in 2007.

Increasingly commissioning will be based on the cost savings that interventions can realize. Thus, it is important to quantify the savings that SHS produces. This time Matrix Knowledge Group was commissioned to generate this evidence and to answer the following research questions:

• What is the short-term economic cost savings associated with the cases of bad behaviour, truancy, and exclusion avoided by SHS?
• What are the short-term annual realisable cost savings associated with avoiding the cases of bad behaviour, truancy, and exclusion through SHS interventions?

Download the report here.

A report written by Matrix Evidence on dementia care has recently been published by The Health Foundation. This report brings together good practice guidance, research evidence and current data on service delivery with the aim of helping health service providers provide high quality care. Click here to read the full report.

Matrix Evidence was commissioned by the Health Foundation to summarise the evidence on the effects of transferring acute inpatient and day-case services from hospitals into the community. The review concluded that such a shift was often associated with improved patient satisfaction, and, in the right context, the quality of care delivered in the community could be comparable to that provided by hospitals. However, the lack of robust economic data means it is by no means certain that such a move would lead to cost savings for the NHS or social care. Read the report here.

The economic analysis for the new CARESTREAM DRX technology carried out by Matrix Evidence, using data from Brighton and Sussex NHS Trust, has concluded that upgrading CR to this new technology could lead to productivity gains and cost savings for x-ray hospital departments. Read the press release to find out more.

The Department for Education has just published Matrix Evidence’s three year evaluation of the Challenge and Support programme, a multi-million pound initiative aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour in young people in 52 areas in England. Our report concluded that the programme was likely to have had a positive impact in reducing persistent antisocial behaviour and diverting young people away from the justice system. However, we also highlighted the lack of robust data to measure both the cost of delivery and the impact of the service as being a real and persistent problem and stated that “Where commissioners are going to pay for services on the basis of successful delivery of outcomes, it is essential these issues be addressed.” The report can be downloaded here.

The Department of Communities and Local Government has published Matrix’s evaluation of the Adults facing Chronic Exclusion programme (ACE). The programme tested new ways of working with excluded people who do not access services in the community because their lives are chaotic and their needs are too complex. The evaluation found that the pilots offered support from a consistent, trusted adult and the interventions proved to be effective and inexpensive. Some of the pilots are highly replicable and half have received continuation funding locally. The Matrix report highlights lessons for public sector reform – particularly how to make services more flexible and collaborative. Please follow the link to the report which provides information on cost-benefit measurements, pilot outcomes and implications for policy. You can download the report here

“The Home Office has recently published Matrix’s research into the links between homicide and organised crime. The research – which was done in collaboration with Professor Nick Tilley of University College London – assessed the proportion of homicides that can be shown to have links to organised crime and examined the differences in characteristics between organised crime-related homicides and other homicides. Based on analysis of Home Office Homicide Index data for 2005–06 and in-depth interviews with senior investigating officers, the research found that only a very small number of homicide cases can be linked back to organised crime. However, those homicides do appear to differ from other homicides in terms of their location, the method of killing and levels of planning.” http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/horr54

The Prison Reform Trust recently released a report on sentences for women offenders. This is a welcome contribution to an under-researched topic. The report references Matrix’s own on the economics of sentencing policy. The report can be accessed here.

The European Scanning Centre commissioned Matrix Evidence to undertake a cost-effectiveness analysis of two alternative pathways for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. The research suggests that a community-based pathway employing the latest in scanning technology for patients with chest pain can save public money compared with traditional care. You can download the report here.

Read more here.

Matrix Evidence has published a simple guide to the latest crime statistics in a bid to make the figures more accessible to the general public. While showing that crime has fallen dramatically since the mid nineties, the figures also highlight the fact that less than one third of crimes reported to the police end up with a suspect being identified. Most offences are committed by young men, a statistic local authorities planning cuts to youth services might well need to think about. Click here to download the publication.

Kevin Marsh presented at Making the Case: the need for a distinct approach for young adults in the criminal justice system. The event was led by T2A and sponsored by Barrow Cadbury Trust conference. Kevin talked about the economic case for alternative criminal justice interventions for young adult offenders.

Dr Kevin Marsh has been asked to present at a workshop on graphical and analytical approaches to exploring and quantifying uncertainty in decision models. The workshop is being held at the Royal Statistical Society on February 4th, 2011.

Matrix Evidence are attending the Giving Voice Campaign and a screening of The King’s Speech on 30th November 2010.

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) is launching a UK-wide campaign to increase understanding of the role of speech and language therapy (SLT) and to show how it transforms people’s lives, while at the same time releasing value for Government, society and the economy. Matrix Evidence were commissioned by RCSLT to provide the economic case for providing SLT for young people and stroke victims, demonstrating that the benefits generated by SLT exceeds the cost of providing SLT. HSJ have written article on the findings.

At the event there will also be the screening of The King’s Speech starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. The film tells the story of the man who would become King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George VI (Bertie) (Colin Firth) reluctantly assumes the throne. With a debilitating stammer and considered unfit to be King, Bertie engages the help of a speech and language therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). The film highlights the nature of their remarkable relationship with a focus on trust, empathy and mentoring.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport where nominated for The Knowledge Management and Analysis award for The Culture and Sport Evidence programme (CASE). The award was for recognition of excellence in the way knowledge was managed throughout the project. The award ceremony was held at Buckingham Palace and hosted by HM Queen Elizabeth, Matrix Evidence led the Drivers and Value work for the CASE programme so attended the award ceremony.

Dr Kevin Marsh co-authored a book recently published by the Urban Institute Press – Cost-Benefit Analysis and Crime Control. The collection of papers is the output of a workshop organised and funded by Matrix and the Urban Institute with support from the Home Office and the National Institute of Justice. The workshop was held in Washington D.C and gathered experts to discuss the application of economic methods to crime control. Within Cost-Benefit Analysis and Crime Control Kevin describes the various methods used for cost-benefit analysis in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, and compares them to American practices. Read more at http://www.urban.org/books/cost-benefit-analysis/.

Demos, an independent think-tank, have published a book called Culture Shock. The publication examines the evidence currently available in relation to public participation in culture and sport. Matrix’s work for CASE (Culture and Sports Evidence Programme) is referenced throughout the book. You can download a copy of the publication here.

Matrix Evidence were commissioned by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) to review Children’s Services provision for young offenders and young people at risk of offending. Download the study here.

Matrix Evidence were commissioned by Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services (C4EO) to carry out a review to improve understanding of targeted youth support (TYS) services. Read the report here.

Matrix has joined a consortium of experts who have been funded to develop a regenerative medicine product to help skin cancer patients. Matrix will provide economic evaluation for the new product implementation into clinical practice. Read the press release to find out more.

Debates surrounding the use of conventional approaches in public health, and the existence of perceived barriers to using the results of economic evaluations, have led to questions posed as to how to establish priorities within public health schemes. The aims of this study were to explore the feasibility and validity of economic evaluation techniques in developing priorities within public health programmes, and to consider the extent to which different presentational approaches are likely to be incorporated into decision-making, from perspectives of relevant stakeholders. Click here to read the article.

The Health and Safety Executive commissioned Matrix to conduct an REA of the literature on the impact of guidance on the actions of corporate policies and practices, identifying key factors which may support the implementation of guidance. Click here to read the report.

NICE was asked by the Department of Health (DH) to develop public health intervention guidance on sun protection resources and environmental changes to prevent skin cancer for the NHS and local authorities. Matrix Evidence was commissioned by NICE to help build the evidence for this guidance. You can download these reports below:

• Sun protection resources and changes to the environment to prevent skin cancer:qualitative evidence review
• Economic analysis to inform the development of NICE public health intervention guidance on information, sun protection resources and physical changes to the environment to prevent skin cancer (phase 2)

You can find additional information on the NICE website.

In light of the proposed changes to the Government’s policy on prisons, Matrix’s research findings in The Economic Case For and Against Prisons report was used as a source on the BBC News. BBC Home Affairs Editor Mark Easton covers Matrix’s data in his blog.

We are very pleased to announce that the Home Office has awarded Matrix Evidence a framework contract to provide research and evaluation services. The contract will cover many areas within the criminal justice system where we have worked previously – sentencing, interventions, reoffending etc – in addition to building upon our expertise in research methods, evidence reviews, economics and operational research.

Kevin Marsh, Head of Economics at Matrix co-authored this study which estimates the spend on health promotion and public health in Wales. You can find the report here.

With growing concerns to establish the value for returns on public health investment, there is a need to identify cost-effective physical activity interventions. Kevin Marsh, Head of Economics at Matrix co-authored this study which can be downloaded here. The study measured change in moderate physical activity (MPA) in seven community-based intervention types, costs and cost-effectiveness of the interventions, and possible explanations for cost variation.

Matrix will be sponsoring the ‘LSE PhD Student Poster Exhibition: Relating research to reality’ on Wednesday 26th May 2010. The Exhibition will showcase some of the innovative research undertaken by LSE Doctoral students.

Play England has commissioned Matrix to undertake an economic evaluation of the value added by staffed play provision –in particular, after school play clubs and adventure playgrounds. This is an important piece of research that will help all organisations in the field in their continued support for children and young people’s play.

The Health Foundation has commissioned the Reviews team to deliver three best evidence reviews that will contribute to answering the question, ‘What works to improve the quality of healthcare?’ read more »

The Health Foundation has commissioned the Reviews team to deliver two improvement reports. These reports will build upon the model of their report ‘Bridging the Quality Gap – Stroke’, 2008.

The improvement reports will bring together a summary of guidance on best practice, data on performance and a view from the Health Foundation on what needs to be done to bring practice in the UK up to the level of recommended practice. The content will include: an overview of epidemiology (where relevant); economic burden and the policy context; a description of high quality services, based on current guidelines, case studies of leading practice, and information drawn from evidence reviews. In addition, improvement reports will include performance data on current UK performance, and cost information.

The EOA commissioned Matrix Evidence to undertake a review of the evidence concerning the benefits of employee ownership as a business model. Click here to read the report. The study was sponsored by the John Lewis Partnership and the health company Circle.

Paul Dolan, Professor at the LSE and Chief Scientist at Matrix has developed MINDSPACE, a practical guide on how to influence behaviour through public policy. This guide was developed with colleagues at the Institute for Government and Imperial College London. You can download the report here.

Matrix Evidence is going to be working with the BMJ Evidence Centre on a contract to deliver Technology Assessment Reviews (TARS) for the National Institute for Health Research. As one of the first agreements of this type reached with a research group outside of the university system, the contract is a real milestone. read more »

Kevin Marsh, Head of Economics at Matrix co-authored the 2nd edition of Evidence-Based Decisions and Economics in Health care, social welfare, education and criminal justice which is now on sale. read more »

Kevin Marsh presented at the launch of the T2A Alliance Young Adult Manifesto on 25th November 2009, you can download the report here – Economic analysis of interventions for young adult offenders.

Matrix Knowledge Group sponsored the Transformation award at the Guardian Public Services Awards 2009. The prize was awarded to the Sheffield city council Care4you team, find out more about the winning team here. More information on the awards can be found in our press release.

Matrix Evidence have been commissioned by the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services (C4EO) to conduct three evidence reviews over the next year. Read the press release to find out more.

Dr Kevin Marsh presented at the 2009 Society Conference & Meeting on October 20 and 21, 2009 at the Washington Court Hotel, Washington, D.C. His paper was titled Using Subjective Well-Being Measures to Value Policy Outcomes.

Tony Munton presented at the GLA seminar on September 23, 2009. His presentation on Evidence, analysis and the Green Book looks at Treasury guidance on how evidence and analysis supports effective policy development and delivery. You can download his slides and find out more about the event here.

Matrix recently worked on the inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning which has been reported in The Guardian. Matrix looked at the relationship between in-prison education and re-offending, and the relationship between lifelong learning and subjective well-being. See the following links for examples of how the Inquiry was reflected in the press: life-long learning and adult education.

The case for and against prison research evidence can best support development of government plans to build fair chances for everyone to succeed in the new economy. Read more on the Publications page.

Matrix Evidence supported The Ninth Annual Campbell Collaboration Colloquium which was held in Oslo, Norway on 18-20 May 2009.

Over the 3 day conference Kevin Marsh presented the following papers :

• Prioritising investment in public health: A review of the economic evidence
• The value of training the children’s workforce: An example of the use of modeling techniques to support reviews

You can find out more about the Colloquium here.