Edinburgh Napier University

  In the UK, current health-care policy has outlined the importance of evidence-based practice. Within social services, the need for evidence of efficacy of occupational therapists’ practice in social services is often raised. This article discusses the use of the Community Dependency Index (CDI), reporting an initial evaluation undertaken by occupational therapists in an inner London social services department. This was undertaken in order to enhance practice.
The results of this pilot study suggest that the measure is not sensitive enough to reflect the complexity of the client’s presenting problems. However, it can be a useful measure to determine whether a client could benefit from rehabilitation. In using this measure, careful consideration should be given to the criteria for its use within practice. The CDI, unfortunately, did not fully meet the expectations of the social services, but its usefulness may be enhanced by the use of a quality-of-life measure.