Resource implications of a measured change in patient wellbeing: a retrospective cohort analysis study

A previous study identified a significant improvement on the Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) for users of the Sandwell ‘Chaplains for Wellbeing’ service (Kevern and Hill, 2015). This raises the question of whether such an improvement leads to potential savings for the CCG via a reduction in the resource burden of these patients. The current study sought to establish whether a significant improvement in patient wellbeing (as measured by the WEMWBS scale) was reflected in a reduction in Primary Care resource use by these patients. In a retrospective cohort study of patients who had accessed the Chaplains for Wellbeing Service, pre-post data were gathered on a range of proxy measures of resource use. The study found that, while there was a clear improvement in wellbeing as measured by the WEMWBS score, this was not reflected in any change to certain key indicators of resource use and mental wellbeing. The reasons for this result are discussed and several possible explanations advanced.