An evaluation of the Community Assessors Citizens Advice Northumberland training project

Ackroyd, Rebekah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7557-9985 and Grimwood, Tom ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8099-6191 (2025) An evaluation of the Community Assessors Citizens Advice Northumberland training project. (Unpublished) Item availability may be restricted.

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Abstract

Context:
Health and Society Knowledge Exchange (HASKE), at the University of Cumbria, was commissioned by Northumberland County Council to evaluate an initiative to upskill general practice staff (such as social prescribing link workers and receptionists) through training provided by Citizens Advice Northumberland to be ‘Community Assessors’. The intention of the Community Assessor project was to enable PCN staff to identify needs among patients and then signpost or refer them into a range of specialist services provided by Citizens Advice Northumberland. This initiative began in April 2023 and was rolled out across three primary care networks, comprising 10 – 12 GP practices, in south-east Northumberland. The evaluation aimed to explore the views and experiences of general practice staff and patients regarding the Community Assessor project. It sought to identify the benefits and any unintended consequences of the project as well as identifying recommendations for how the project might be expanded to cover other areas of Northumberland.

Methodology:
Data collection involved a two-stage process:
• In stage one, scoping interviews were undertaken with 3 managers at Citizens Advice, who had led different aspects of the Community Assessor project and with 2 PCN staff who had led on the project within their PCNs
• In stage two, interviews were held with 5 staff who work in a management or leadership role within their practice
• Interviews were also held with 7 staff working in three PCNs who had participated in the Community Assessor training
• Lastly, interviews were undertaken with 4 Community Advisers who receive and act on the referrals submitted to Citizens Advice by the PCN staff.

Item Type:	Report
Departments:	Health and Society Knowledge Exchange (HASKE) Institute of Health > Social Work, Children and Families
Additional Information:	This report was created for an evaluation commissioned by Northumberland County Council. Please note that the report belongs to the commissioner and is not publicly available. Rebekah Ackroyd, Senior Lecturer in Education; Professor Tom Grimwood, PhD, Professor of Social Philosophy; both of University of Cumbria, UK.
Depositing User:	Laura Snell
Date Deposited:	05 Aug 2025 13:25
Last Modified:	05 Aug 2025 13:30
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/8978