A new resource pack to support commissioners and service providers to tackle the rising burden of alcohol related admissions has been released by the the South London Health Innovation Network (HIN).
Download Tackling alcohol misuse in NHS hospitals: a resource pack [pdf].
Chapters include:
- Why do hospitals need to take alcohol misuse seriously?
- Types of alcohol related presentations to hospital
- Interventions for alcohol misuse
- Service models and systems to deliver alcohol care
- How to develop and implement an alcohol care strategy
- Case Study
- Resources
Over recent years hopsitals have increasingly provided alcohol-related services and pathways, as identified in a 2015 Public Health England (PHE) review into the level of provision. The review found the majority of hospitals had at least some specialist alcohol provision, although delivery varies widely and key issues such as integration with community services is crucial.
Indeed the HIN resource includes a section on why hospitals are still failing to adequately treat alcohol misue, identifying key reasons including a lack of training, the pressurised working environment in hospitals, and the stigma surrounding the issue. It also states that the 'strategic landscape is also complicating the issue', with the significant changes brought about by the Health and Social Care Act and shortfall in community alcohol services. As such it states 'alcohol care provision must be seen as a core NHS service activity rather than an optional extra.'
The resource pack highlights the invest to save case, suggesting £3.85 is returned for each £1 spent on alcohol nurse specialist services as seen in Bolton. Traditionally hospitals will have focused mainly on treating conditions associated with heavy drinking, but other models such as assertive outreach services - whilst less well tested - may have cost benefits from reducing A&E attendances and admissions.
Brief intervention is also highlighted as an important preventative opportunity - indeed next year all acute trust hospitals will be incentivised to carry out alcohol 'Identification and Brief Advice' (IBA) as part of the NHS Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUINs) payments framework.
Last year a report by the Nuffield Trust highlighted the rising impact of alcohol on hospitals, calling for increased alcohol interventions to identify and support patients with alcohol problems. In 2015 PHE released a 'minimum dataset' guidance document to support monitoring and evaluation of hospital based alcohol services. It followed A&E pathways document for young people.
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