title: Partnership working between the Fire Service and NHS: delivering a cost-saving service to improve the safety of high-risk people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and NHS Tayside piloted partnership working. A Community Fire Safety Link Worker provided Risk Assessments to adults, identified by community health teams, at high risk of fires, with the aim of reducing fires. An existing evaluation shows the Service developed a culture of 'high trust' between partners and had high client satisfaction. This paper reports on an economic evaluation of the costs and benefits of the Link Worker role.
  
  
  METHODS
  An economic evaluation of the costs and benefits of the Link Worker role was undertaken. Changes in the Risk Assessment score following delivery of the Service were used to estimate the potential fires avoided. These were valued using a national cost of a fire. The estimated cost of delivering the Service was deducted from these savings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pilot was estimated to save 4.4 fires, equivalent to £286 per client. The estimated cost of delivering the Service was £55 per client, giving net savings of £231 per client. The pilot was cost-saving under all scenarios, with results sensitive to the probability of a fire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe this is the first evaluation of Fire Safety Risk Assessments. Partnership working, delivering joint Risk Assessments in the homes of people at high risk of fire, is modelled to be cost saving. Uncertainties in data and small sample are key limitations. Further research is required into the ex ante risk of fire by risk category. Despite these limitations, potential savings identified in this study supports greater adoption of this partnership initiative.
authors.affiliation: Craig Health Economics Consultancy, 31 Belmont Drive, Giffnock, Glasgow, G46 7NZ, UK. joycecraig01@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joyce A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Associate AHP Director Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, NHS Tayside, Dundonald Centre, Unit 9a, Manhattan Works, Dundonald Street, Dundee, DD3 7PY, UK. screegan@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Shelagh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Creegan
authors.affiliation: Group Manager (Dundee), Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Macalpine Road, Dundee, DD3 8SA, UK. Martin.Tait@firescotland.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tait
authors.affiliation: Firefighter (Control), Dundee Operations Control Red Watch, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Macalpine Road, Dundee, DD3 8SA, UK. donna.dolan@firescotland.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dolan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000191:economics*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017751:Safety Management / Q000191:economics*; D012606:Scotland