My Home Life: Measuring impact through practice development

This paper examines the learning and perceived difference that the MHL Leadership Support programme has made to practice development in care homes, from the perspectives of participants. It draws on self-report findings from a multi-method study of 11 cohorts of care/nursing home managers (n=119) participating in the programme in Scotland (January 2013-April 2015). Findings demonstrate positive impact on managers, enhanced leadership skills, better communication and relationships with staff, and positive benefits for residents & relatives. Whilst these findings should be interpreted with caution due to their self-report nature, participants demonstrated discernible difference in identifying positive change over time related to their own circle of influence. The paper flags up a number of issues for consideration when trying to measure impact of complex interventions, in complex settings. It highlights the possible need to develop new process measures to gage the spread of impact throughout the various circles of influence.