Multi‐agency Work in Practice: The Evaluation of a Primary Care‐based Mental Health Promotion Project

Abstract

This article reports the evaluation of the Choices Project, an initiative which was developed to address health inequalities and was piloted in a medical centre in an area of multiple deprivation. The article reports an evaluation of the pilot. The Project was found to have achieved its aims of addressing the mental, social and emotional health needs of clients living in a deprived area, and facilitating a multi‐agency approach to primary care health promotion. In addition to running a consultation clinic, the Project workers set up advice services, such as a welfare benefits and debt counselling service, and provided information about local resources. The results of the evaluation demonstrated the approach to be valued by the staff of the medical centre and effective for a significant number of clients who presented with a variety of problems which had serious consequences for health, but which were not caused by problems traditionally viewed as medical.