Economic evaluations in social care trials: complexities, challenges and a way forward

Abstract: In recent years there have been major changes in the research funding landscape, with a shift towards addressing large, complex, systems level problems.  Major funders such as the Department of Health and Social Care have prioritised exploring early preventative technologies and initiatives in health and social care, with a focus on addressing inequalities and disparities, and on reducing the pressure and reliance on NHS and social care services.  Within these priority areas it has been emphasised that addressing economic considerations is paramount. The new MRC Complex interventions framework gives guidance on how to address large systems level problems, while advocating full involvement of economic considerations at all stages of study design and development, yet the realities of undertaking such research are complex and have many barriers.  Economic evaluation within social care research is inherently difficult due to the complexities in the nature of social care, along with logistical (data collection), structural and methodological challenges.  The area of social care itself covers children, adults and the elderly which are each very different with their own issues which need to be addressed in designing economic evaluations in social care trials. 

This session will use case study examples involving economic evaluations in a range of social care settings to highlight some of the complexities, practical issues and challenges facing economists undertaking research in social care and consider how we can better address these going forward.

Bio

Kathleen is a Reader in the Health Economics for Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA) group, and Director of Research for the School of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. She leads the Economic Evaluation alongside Clinical Trials theme, with a track record of successful research grants working alongside world-leading clinical collaborators to design and undertake economic evaluations within a wide variety of health care areas. She supports and advises collaborators regarding trial design, economic evaluations incorporating modelling, and evaluations of complex and public health interventions.  Her research spans a wide range of clinical areas and different types of health technologies including pharmacological treatments, medical devices, diagnostic tests and public health and social care interventions. Kathleen is also a lead Health Economics Reviewer for the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), reviewing and presenting to the SMC New Drugs Committee, which directly informs decision making policy in Scotland. 

https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/healthwellbeing/staff/kathleenboyd/

Kathleen.Boyd@glasgow.ac.uk