Communicate: Organisational issues and their relevance for clinical evaluation

This paper reports the first findings of a two year project funded by the NHS Executive North Thames to provide an independent evaluation of Communicate, Action for Dysphasic Adults' training programme for carers of older people with communication impairments. The project comprises an organisational evaluation (January-July 1998) to review the use of Communicate by purchasers nationally and in the North Thames health region, and (from September 1998) a clinical evaluation in North Thames region, to investigate outcomes for communicatively impaired people themselves and for training participants. The paper outlines the research design and progress so far before presenting initial findings. It concludes by discussing the relevance of organisational issues and social science research insights to the forthcoming clinical evaluation.