Does a social prescribing ‘holistic’ link-worker for older people improve well-being and frailty and reduce health and social care use and costs?

Does a social prescribing ‘holistic’ link-worker for older people with complex, multimorbidity improve well-being and frailty and reduce health and social care use and costs? A 12-month before-and-after evaluation
Primary Health Care Research & Development, v20 e135 24 September 2019 : https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423619000598

• Outcomes from a Well-being Co-ordinator service managed by Teignbridge CVS for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to support older adults (≥50 years) with complex health needs (≥2 long-term conditions). The study measured health and social well-being, activation and frailty at 12 weeks and service use and cost at 12 months prior and after intervention for 86 participants.
• Most of the participants achieved their "living-well" and quality of life goals (looking after yourself, social participation and feeling positive, patient activation scores).  But, there was a significant increase in activity and costs for in-patient, community and social care services. (GP contacts were not included.)  A significant proportion of this increase was accounted for by a rapid, escalation in morbidity and frailty in just over a dozen people.