ABSTRACT
Evidence is an important means to evaluate if the thinking that lies behind new policies and programmes has resulted in the expected benefits. A good theory should be supported by research which demonstrates that its principles translate as expected in the real world. Social work will approach evidence from a more constructivist perspective with values from diverse sources including the views of people, families and communities. Social work is based on a constructivist paradigm which recognises there is more than one way to see an issue with no single ‘truth’ in many situations. Health care fields tend to have a more traditional view of what constitutes evidence that are based on positivist knowledge paradigms. The evidence that is available suggests there can be benefits in relation to people’s experience of accessing care, and various elements of their quality of life.
