Ongoing Project

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 (ACTs) 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 ACTs and identify successful approaches to ACT provision in meeting needs

The Outcome

We will work with stakeholders to rapidly disseminate outputs and inform policy decisions, clinical best practice and future resource priorities

Lead academics

The lead researcher, Professor Thomas Phillips, Professor of Nursing in Addiction.

Funded by

Project partners

Informing policy decisions

We’re aiming to inform clinical best practice, helping to improve ACTs and the services they offer to alcohol-dependent patients.

The Challenge

The Challenge

Alcohol-related hospital admissions continue to rise, with estimates that 10% of patients admitted to acute hospitals may be alcohol dependent (AD). Yet, there remains considerable variation in provision of Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs) 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 ACTs to inform the future commissioning of these services.

“With one in 20 hospital admissions alcohol – related we need a treatment system that works. This research aims to measure the effectiveness of alcohol care teams in meeting the needs of patients during and after their hospital stay. The results should help integrate hospital and community treatment for individuals who are often overlooked.”

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore

Professor of Hepatology, former Director of the Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance and Chair of the ProACTIVE Oversight Steering Committee

The full research team

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

Our aims are to determine the spectrum of characteristics and care needs of patients who may benefit from ACTs and identify the components and resource implications of clinical- and cost-effective models of ACTs across England, which best support the identification and management of hospitalised adults with alcohol dependence. We will work with stakeholders to co-produce and ensure rapid dissemination of outputs to inform macro and meso level policy decisions, clinical best practice, and future research priorities.

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.

The ProACTIVE research programme is a multi-disciplinary, integrated, mixed-methods study designed to evaluate the impact of ACTs at macro (policy), meso (health system) and micro (patient) level. It will categorise models of ACT, define the components which best support the identification, and cost-effective management of hospitalised adults with AD.

The Impact

By identifying the characteristics and care needs of patients who may benefit from ACTs, and by highlighting the components of those ACTs which have proven most successful in supporting adults with alcohol dependence, we hope to provide much-needed information to policymakers and inform clinical best practice. This will help improve ACTs and the services they offer to alcohol-dependent patients.

For more information, please contact ProACTIVE@hull.ac.uk