The MECC research group at Northumbria University brings together interdisciplinary experts from both academia and practice in the fields of Psychology, Social Work, Public Health, Business, Sports and Exercise and Health and Social Care across the North East of England with the shared aim of advancing the evidence base for MECC.
The group, led by Dr Angela Rodrigues, has strong links with Fuse and the ARC NENC and works with fellow academics at the other North East Universities along with relevant stakeholders from the NHS and Local Authorities including the regional MECC multi-agency strategy group.
PhD Student, Research Assistant & Associate Lecturer
Social Work Education Community Wellbeing
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Research Associate
MECC is a person centred and opportunistic approach to health behaviour change that applies appropriate theory informed behaviour change techniques from behavioural science, delivered during every appropriate contact. Although MECC is typically delivered within health and social care, anyone could potentially deliver and receive MECC conversations, within any setting. MECC can be the mechanism that leads to another intervention or applied alone to optimise the potential of routine interactions, through conversations around topics such as smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, or alcohol. The duration of MECC conversations is dependent on the need and opportunity presented.
MECC came about as a result of NICE guidance on Behaviour Change in 2007 which was aimed at supporting clinicians to improve their skills with patients. MECC as a particular approach was initially developed and implemented in Yorkshire and Humber region before national adoption by Public Health England in 2016 with healthcare professionals required to undertake MECC training as part of their professional development. The initiative was supported by a set of guidance for NHS and local government organisations tasked with implementation in context. The implementation in the North East and North Cumbria NHS region (now the NENC Integrated Care Board) is supported by Regional MECC strategy group who work closely with the researchers in this group.
MECC encourages health care professionals and the wider workforce to deliver brief advice to people during routine consultations and contact. The current expectation is that all NHS organisations will commit to MECC and NHS England has included MECC in its Standard Contract Service Conditions. This approach to support behaviour change at scale has been recognised as an asset in helping to deliver on United Kingdom population health ambitions within both the NHS Long Term Plan (National Health Service, 2019), and Public Health England’s Strategy 2020–2025 (Public Health England, 2019), for example, on “Smoke-free society,” “Healthier diets and healthier weight,” and “Personalisation and predictive prevention.”
Although much of the existing MECC research is based within healthcare settings, our research within voluntary and community settings reflects wider implementation of MECC outside of healthcare. Furthermore, MECC is now implemented outside of England, including Ireland, Wales, and Australia.
Despite MECC being widely implemented a recent scoping review found only 14 studies of MECC most of which focussed on staff training and acceptability (Parchment 2021). There is therefore scope for significant advancements in this area.
Project (Open Science) Protocols
Publications
Conferences and other dissemination activities
Nichol, B., Wilson, R., Rodrigues, A., Haighton, C. P11 Exploring the acceptability of making every contact count (MECC) within the third and social economy (TSE): a reflexive thematic analysis. Social Medicine & Population Health Annual Scientific Meeting, Newcastle University, 6-8th September 2023: poster presentation, published abstract: https://jech.bmj.com/content/77/Suppl_1/A59.2
Rodrigues, A. Exploring MECC implementation within the North East and North Cumbria region (NENC) in England. Oral Presentation at 6th UK Implementation Science Research Conference 13th-14th July 2023 Limerick University, Ireland
Nichol, B., Wilson, R., Rodrigues, A., Haighton, C. Qualitative exploration of the views and experiences of Making Every Contact Count and within service providers and users within the Third and Social Economy sector: a reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews. 6th UK Implementation Science Research Conference, Limerick University, Ireland,13th-14th July 2023: poster presentation
Rodrigues, A. Mapping MECC Implementation across the North East and North Cumbria. Oral Presentations at MECC Regional Conference June 21st 2023 Durham University
Kemp, E., McBride, K. MECC delivered by healthcare professionals in a mental health setting. Oral Presentations at MECC Regional Conference June 21st 2023 Durham University
Nichol, B. Optimising MECC in voluntary and community settings. Oral Presentations at MECC Regional Conference June 21st 2023 Durham University
Nichol, B., Rodrigues, A., Wilson, R., Haighton, C. A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Brief Health Behaviour Change Interventions on Service Users Accessing the Third and Social Economy Sector. Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference 2023, Sheffield, 13-14th June 2023: poster presentation
Rodrigues, A., Haighton, C., Newbury-Birch, D., Durlik, C., Sallis, A., Chadborn, T. Systematic Review and Behavioural Analysis of Making Every Contact Count, Alcohol and Smoking Brief Interventions. Oral presentation at the EHPS Conference 03 - 07 September 2019, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Haighton, C., Rodrigues, A., Newbury-Birch, D., Durlik, C., Sallis, A., Chadborn, T. Making Every Contact Count (MECC), Alcohol and Smoking Brief Interventions: How do we encourage staff to promote positive behaviour change? Poster presented at the UKSBM conference December 2018 Birmingham, UK
Impact
and testimonials
Our Mapping Regional implementation of MECC research project achieved the Investing in You - Dialogue & Change Award because it involved the Community in Dialogue that leads to Change.
“I think it’s really important MECC. As a carer, it’s a good way of flagging everything up. When you’ve got one contact, it’s making the most of it. (…) I like the [research] idea and the whole plan of it. (…) I do feel I was listened to and I made a lot of comments from a carer’s perspective. (…) We’ve had the opportunity to give feedback on all aspects. (…) The group was very proactive and very engaging.” Patient and Public Involvement Representative
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