Local Investment Programme 2017/18 final evaluation report – Transforming care and health through information and technology

While the LIP projects did not always lead to immediate outcomes and cost savings, in some cases they formed the basis of applications for further funding for a wider scale digital intervention which could have clearer impacts. Most projects found it difficult to monitor and evidence outcomes and cost savings of their approach and local evaluations have been uneven in their depth and results.

The evidence this could produce is essential for project sustainability for example when applying for future funding to further develop projects or producing internal business cases. To this end, the programme could have provided projects with greater support to evidence the scope of their intervention.

However, significant learning from the challenges that have emerged throughout LIP have formed the basis of a Digital Toolkit to help councils who are starting a new digital transformation project. This toolkit provides a step-by-step guide to introducing a new digital service and covers:

1. identifying the issue you are trying to solve
2. designing your approach
3. planning delivery
4. delivering the service
5. evaluating the success of the service including cost savings.