Memorandum from Headway Dorset
Is the third sector more likely to provide better
public services than the state or the private sector?
Is there evidence that where services are provided
by the third sector, that they are popular with those that use
them?
Headway offers rehabilitation and support for
brain injured people and their carers in the community. We conduct
annual evaluations of our service from the perspective of our
clients.
Please see Headway's evaluation for 2006. As
you can see from the evaluation Headway clients rated Headway
at an average of 4.29 Rating scale 1 (very poor) -5 (excellent)
demonstrating that Headway clients are happy with Headway services.
Do public services provided by the third sector
more accurately reflect the changing needs of those that use them?
Please see recent evaluation carried out with
our Dorchester clients in order to identify their rehabilitation
needs. The results of this questionnaire will be used to adapt
services and offer clients a wider range of activities in order
to meet their rehabilitation needs.
Additionally clients reported that a more vocationally
based rehabilitation was preferred. Subsequently Headway Dorset
has altered their business plan in accordance with their clients
needs and places much emphasis on vocational rehabilitation. Clients
also reported that they wished to go off the site when in their
gardening and conservation groups which now occurs.
Is there evidence that contracting to the third
sector leads to greater scope for innovation in public service
delivery?
Yes Headway Dorset's evaluations and programmes
demonstrate this. Rehabilitation is client led, is in the community
(swimming, circuit training at sports centres), work rehabilitation
in the community, doing real work.
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