Taking a ProACTIVE approach
We’re part of a programme of research examining the clinical and cost effectiveness of alcohol care teams to inform the future commissioning of services.
Project summary
The Challenge
Despite consensus on the need for hospital-based alcohol care teams there is limited evidence as to the outcomes for patients and services.
The Approach
We will assess the models of care offered to patients who may benefit from alcohol care teams and identify successful approaches to provision to meet needs.
The Outcome
We will work with stakeholders to rapidly disseminate outputs and inform policy decisions, clinical best practice and future resource priorities.
Institutes and centres
Lead academics
Project funded by
Project Partners
Informing policy decisions
We inform clinical best practice, helping to improve alcohol care teams and the services they offer to alcohol-dependent patients.
The Challenge
With one in 20 hospital admissions related to alcohol, we need a treatment system that works. By measuring the effectiveness of alcohol care teams, we can integrate hospital and community treatment for individuals who are often overlooked.Professor Sir Ian Gilmore
Alcohol-related hospital admissions continue to rise, with estimates that 10% of patients admitted to acute hospitals may be alcohol dependent.
Yet, there remains considerable variation in the provision of alcohol care teams in England, and a limited evidence base for understanding their clinical effectiveness.
This three-year programme of research, commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (HS&DR Ref: NIHR152084), will examine the clinical and cost effectiveness of alcohol care teams to inform the future commissioning of these services.
Research team
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Prof Thomas Phillips
Joint Chief Investigator, University of Hull -
Dr Philippa Case
Research Fellow & Trial Coordinator, University of Hull -
Maddie Wilkinson
Research Assistant, University of Hull -
Prof Judith Cohen
Co-investigator, University of Hull -
Dr Seilin Uhm
Research Fellow, University of Southampton -
Georgia Foote
Research Assistant, University of Southampton -
Mel King
PPI Coordinator, University of Southampton -
Dr Krysia Cavinn
Co-investigator, Keele University -
Prof Simon Coulton
Co-investigator, University of Kent -
Prof Julia Sinclair
Joint Chief Investigator, University of Southampton -
Tracy Pellatt-Higgins
Statistician, University of Kent -
Prof Colin Drummond
Co-investigator, King's College London -
Prof Amy O'Donnell
Co-investigator, Newcastle University -
Prof Eileen Kaner
Co-investigator, Newcastle University -
Colin Angus
Co-investigator, University of Sheffield -
Dr Robert Pryce
Co-investigator, University of Sheffield -
Dr Nicky Kalk
Co-investigator, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust -
Dr Steven Masson
Consultant in Liver Diseases and Transplant Medicine, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals
The Approach
The ProACTIVE team is a consortium of public collaborators and experienced researchers
drawn from the universities of Hull, Southampton, Keele, Kent, Sheffield, Newcastle, King’s College London and South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
ProACTIVE is a multidisciplinary, integrated, mixed-methods study designed to evaluate the impact of alcohol care teams at macro (policy), meso (health system), and micro (patient) levels. It will categorise models of alcohol care teams, define the components which best support the identification, and cost-effective management of hospitalised adults with alcohol dependency. Our research will:
- Determine the spectrum of characteristics and care needs of patients who may benefit from alcohol care teams
- Identify the components and resource implications of clinical and cost-effective models of alcohol care teams across England, which best support the identification and management of hospitalised adults with alcohol dependence
- Work with stakeholders to co-produce and ensure the rapid dissemination of outputs, informing macro- and meso-level policy decisions, clinical best practices, and future research priorities
The Impact
Our research
By identifying the characteristics and care needs of patients who may benefit from alcohol care teams, and by highlighting the components of those teams which have proven most successful in supporting adults with alcohol dependence, we are providing much-needed information to policymakers and informing clinical best practice.
Ultimately this improves the services offered to alcohol-dependent patients.