An NHS Evidence QIPP case study is available on Alcohol Care Teams: to reduce acute hospital admissions and improve quality of care. The resource was published by The British Society of Gastroenterology and the Royal Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
An excerpt from the description outlines:
Very few hospitals have dedicated alcohol services, and a 2009 survey showed that only 42% of acute hospitals had any alcohol specialist nurse support (D Ward, et al, 2009).
The principal recommendation is for a multidisciplinary "Alcohol Care Team" in each District Hospital, led by a Consultant, with designated sessions, who will collaborate across hospitals and primary care to develop a coordinated alcohol treatment and prevention programme. This team would organise systematic interventions and alcohol specialist nurses. The evidence in this document is not only for the team, but for a variety of actions, including Brief Interventions, specialist alcohol nurses and ways of reaching out to patients.
The purpose highlights:
There are substantial savings to be made, as well as an opportunity to improve quality of care, both at a population and individual level. The savings arise from (i) reduced admissions for detoxification (“drying out”) and (ii) reduced readmissions consequent on better management of alcohol addiction and mental health problems, such as, secondary prevention.
Further alcohol hospital resources are available here on the Alcohol Learning Centre, including on hospital based Alcohol Health Work. See here for NICE alcohol commissioning guidance.
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