Building a shared picture of impact: how regional eating disorder charities used outcomes data
During 2026 CORC supported REDCAN, an alliance of regional eating disorder charities across the UK, to explore how existing outcomes data could provide meaningful evidence of the difference member agencies make to the people they support. By combining analysis of individual agencies’ outcomes with an alliance-wide analysis, the support aimed to help charities better understand their own results while developing a shared picture of outcomes across the network.
In September 2026, CORC produced and shared tailored outcomes analysis reports with four member agencies, alongside an aggregated report for REDCAN. This article describes the challenges the project sought to address, the collaborative approach taken and the opportunities it created for understanding outcomes at both agency and alliance level.
The challenge
Although REDCAN’s member agencies shared a common purpose, they were at different stages of developing their approach to outcome measurement. Their processes, database systems and experience of embedding outcome monitoring into service delivery varied.
Exploration with members revealed that agencies used a range of outcome measures to varying degrees. Some had dedicated database systems to capture data, while others were still developing their systems. There was also considerable variation in how consistently agencies completed and recorded paired outcome measures. Paired measures are completed by service users at two or more time points, typically before and after, or at the beginning and end of, a period of support. Comparing responses can help agencies understand changes in service users’ reported outcomes over time.
These differences created a challenge for this work: how could CORC support REDCAN to develop a meaningful picture of collective outcomes while recognising differences in agencies’ measurement practices, data completeness and the populations they supported?
The collaborative approach
To address this challenge, REDCAN secured CORC data analysis-level membership for four member agencies, enabling them to access outcomes analysis alongside the other benefits of membership.
CORC worked with member agencies to identify how the project could build on outcome measures already embedded in practice. Several agencies were using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) with adults and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Adolescents (EDE-A) with younger service users. CORC used these shared measures as a practical foundation for analysing outcomes at both individual agency and alliance level.
Rather than relying on entirely different datasets, the agreed approach was for each participating agency to submit its paired EDE-Q and EDE-A data over the last two years to CORC for analysis. This created a common basis for exploring outcomes across the participating agencies while retaining the ability to examine each agency’s results individually.
The approach also recognised that a shared framework should not mean a one-size-fits-all approach to analysis. Each agency had its own information needs and priorities, so members could request additional analysis of other outcome measures and explore EDE data by factors such as locality or demographics.
This combination of shared analysis and agency-specific flexibility offered a way to develop a collective understanding of outcomes without losing sight of the different contexts in which member agencies worked.
Data reports
In September 2026, CORC provided REDCAN with an alliance-wide report analysing the paired EDE-Q and EDE-A data submitted by participating agencies. This provided a shared reference point against which members could consider their own outcomes and explore how their findings related to those of the wider alliance.
The analysis offered an opportunity to identify questions for collective discussion and to consider what the findings might mean for agencies working in different contexts. However, comparisons between agencies require careful interpretation. Members serve different populations and deliver support in different ways, meaning that differences in reported outcomes cannot automatically be interpreted as differences in service performance or effectiveness.
The reports were therefore intended to support understanding, reflection and improvement-based discussion rather than straightforward rankings of agencies.
Alongside the alliance-wide report, each participating agency received an individual CORC report analysing its EDE data and providing comparisons with the wider REDCAN dataset. Agencies also received additional analysis tailored to their needs. This further analysis included data from other outcome measures, such as NIAS, CIA, CORE-10, PHQ-9 and GAD-7, as well as subgroup analysis of EDE data by region.
Together, the reports provided two complementary perspectives: an alliance-wide view of outcomes and a more detailed understanding of individual agencies’ data. This enabled the project to explore both what the participating agencies’ data could show collectively and how the findings could be examined in ways relevant to individual members.
Learning
Reflecting upon their reports, agencies identified common challenges associated with data quality which they seek to address and improve. There was a shared recognition of the value of consistent approaches to outcome measurement and monitoring where data is captured at multiple time points during support. Agencies highlighted important considerations when reviewing and interpreting outcome data; the significant variations between interventions provided to service users including the provision of long-term support and types of support aiming to maintain a person’s wellbeing rather than deliver measurable improvement.
Overall REDCAN and its members were pleased to see that the majority of service users reported improvements in key outcomes of care. The reports were seen as encouraging and useful for future funding applications and service development.
The collective report from CORC on outcomes from REDCAN agencies has been used for wider discussions about data collection and outcome measurement within the alliance. The report will also be cited in future funding bids, in presentations on our work and in online publicity.
With 3.5 million people in the UK experiencing an eating disorder, demonstrating the impact of accessible, effective support matters. This report strengthens the evidence for commissioners and funders, and just as importantly, it helps people know that effective early support is available.
