Table 2 Definition of impact and associated terms, with examples from Case Study 1 (CS1: Additional file 1)

Outputs

Products, such as journal articles, conference presentations, guidelines, recommendations, summaries and tools

• Andrews N, Gabbay J, le May A, Miller E, O’Neill M, Petch A. Developing evidence-enriched practice in health and social care with older people. 2015. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York (also see ‘Box 3 & 4 Case study [57, 58] at the end)

• CS1 will also inform an impact case study in the next United Kingdom Research Excellence Framework Assessment (http://www.hefce.ac.uk/rsrch/REFimpact/)

Uses

Instrumental, conceptual or symbolic use of the outputs

Practice changes across all sites and multiple alterations to delivery/content of staff education and development, e.g. related to risk, relationships, working with residents to be more person centred

Outcomes

Identifying what changed as a result of the use of the outputs

Project approach woven into the National Dementia Learning and Development Framework for Wales and informed policy change (Good Work - A Dementia Learning and Development Framework for Wales, Care Council for Wales, Cardiff, 2016; https://socialcare.wales/resources/good-work-dementia-learning-and-development-framework)

Impacts

A collective term encompassing output, uses and outcomes

Participants across all sites reported enhanced wellbeing due to their involvement, indicating development of an ‘enriched environment’ of learning [57]. Participants felt a sense of security, continuity, belonging, purpose, achievement and significance – that they mattered – and that things could change for the better. The evaluation revealed improved relationships, greater networking opportunities, information exchange and increased trust among professionals and between policy-makers, managers, professionals, older people, carers and different sites