In 2007 a strategic partnership was established between Wakefield Integrated Substance Misuse Services (WISMS), Healthskills (EH) and Schering Plough (SP). The alliance was formed to oversee an investment from the private sector partner to support the development of leadership capacity and capability across WISMS. The programme was named the Empowering Leadership Programme and was designed to effect a paradigm shift in the management of substance misusers: -

The intention was to invest in leadership throughout the existing integrated workforce and from this foundation produce service improvements that would enable the progressive integration - or reintegration - of such patient populations to become socially accepted and functioning members of their local communityand create the infrastructure - both in terms of service agencies and community-based information, advice and support - to ensure reintegration is sustainable.

Commissioners in particular could see a number of significant benefits to be achieved on a number of levels from this work -

Improved services for patients, with better clinical and social outcomes, improved medication concordance, and reduced stigmatisation within the community . For communities, a new cohort of productive workers, reduced associated (or perceived) crime, a greater feeling of safety and wellbeing.

And so the Balanced Scorecard Project was born

The result of a think tank comprising local leaders from provision and commissioning who came together to focus on outcomes

The 'triumvirate' of service user/provider/commissioner are core to the performance of the BSC and workforce development was identified early on as key to success

Methodology

The approach was simple - establish a steering group whose role is to ensure the 'balance' of the BSC' -Establish four task groups to drive change in each of four key areas of the BSC, accountable to the core group.

The thematic groups have an inclusive make up ( grass roots practitioners) from across WISMS and the groups link back into strategic and policy developments

The product of the Balanced scorecard is a shared basket of outcomes - it is with these that we hope to achieve the paradigm shift