Author Archives: Paula Fry

Shining a light on the dark side of coproduction

by Kathryn Oliver, Anita Kothari and Nicholas Mays Advocacy of co-produced research Many, if not most applied research projects, are undertaken with some degree of collaboration between researchers and ‘stakeholders’, who include research funders, policymakers or practitioners, members of the … Continue reading

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SIBs may provide components for outcome-based contracting, but they are not a panacea

BY STEFANIE TAN, ALEC FRASER & NICHOLAS MAYS Public service reform can benefit from outcome-focussed approaches to commissioning. However, we should avoid assuming that Social Impact Bonds are likely to have wide application, explain PIRU’s research team. Social Impact Bonds … Continue reading

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Japan highlights innovative Asia Pacific model for Social Impact Bonds

BY CHIH HOONG SIN & ICHIRO TSUKAMOTO SIBs are emerging as a way to reconfigure relationships between the state and civil society in ways that their Western inventors may not have anticipated but may wish to replicate. Japan’s experience of … Continue reading

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We should ask three big questions about SIBs

BY ELEANOR CARTER & CLARE FITZGERALD Evaluation should test key SIB promises to government: greater collaboration, prevention and innovation, argue two researchers from Oxford University’s Government Outcomes Lab. To discover whether Social Impact Bonds work, we would be wise, first … Continue reading

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Investors need rigorous assessments of Social Impact Bonds

BY KATY PILLAI A major investor highlights the vital role that research and evaluation should play in developing this form of outcomes funding. Evaluation and research into Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) is a hot topic for Big Issue Invest. We … Continue reading

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Academics can show governments how to evaluate SIBs more rigorously

BY CHRIS FOX A wide range of approaches can help identify causality and effectiveness even in complex environments. We can – and we should – improve our evaluations of SIB and Payment By Results (PBR) programmes. They should focus more … Continue reading

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Impact bonds could offer a paradigm shift towards more effective public services

BY EMILY GUSTAFSSON-WRIGHT Social and Development Impact Bonds require enormous effort for the partners involved, but they have a potential to transform the financing and delivery of social services across the globe. In winter 2015, Courtney arrived at Frontline Services, … Continue reading

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“Rethink questions to patients in general practice and focus more on improving primary care”

By Tommaso Manacorda The “Friends and Family Test”, seeking patients’ views, has created anxiety among practices but shed little light on patients’ concerns. It’s time for a rethink, suggests our study. The many ways in which patients can now feedback … Continue reading

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Social Impact Bonds offer challenges and opportunities in health and social care

By Alec Fraser, Stefanie Tan & Nicholas Mays SIBs bring promises of extra cash and reduced fragmentation but also concerns about private sector interests, practicality and governance. What does research tell us about Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) and their applicability … Continue reading

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Just how bad is the NHS at innovation? The answer – we don’t know

BY James Barlow “There is strong encouragement for the NHS to make better use of innovation, but we’ve not known how our system performs internationally. Now we are developing a potential measure.” The Accelerated Access Review (AAR) – which aims … Continue reading

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