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Alcohol Recovery Navigators – evaluating a new support service for heavy drinkers

Researchers from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC) are leading an evaluation of a new support service to help very heavy drinkers.

The new service – called Recovery Navigators – has been introduced across all hospital trusts in the North East and North Cumbria (NENC).

Funded by the NENC Integrated Care Board, Recovery Navigators will work in all the acute trusts in the region to help tackle the sharp rise in alcohol harm, which has increased further since the Covid-19 pandemic. They will work in hospitals to identify heavy drinkers who need greater support and assist people to access services that can help them to better manage their conditions.

Dr James Crosbie, NENC ICS, Clinical Lead for Alcohol said: “Alcohol is often an underlying cause in a large number of emergency department attendances, which often results in a pattern of repeat hospital visits.

“We know excess drinking is often rooted in other life issues like unemployment, debt or mental ill health. Building up a relationship with people experiencing alcohol issues and helping them into other support networks could bring about major life changes.”

The Recovery Navigators service has been in place in some of our region’s hospitals since 2021, and has since expanded – with all hospital trusts across the NENC region now offering patients support with alcohol issues.

Evaluating the scheme to understand its impact

The Recovery Navigators service will be evaluated to help understand its impact on both people with alcohol problems and the practitioners who care for them.

The evaluation has been funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Three Research Schools Mental Health Practice Evaluation Scheme, in partnership with the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria. The work is being led by Professor Amy O’Donnell from Newcastle University, who is the NIHR ARC NENC Deputy Theme Lead for Prevention.

The evaluation aims to see if the support of the Recovery Navigators makes a positive difference to people with alcohol problems and the services that support them.

Findings will be used to determine future alcohol support services both in hospitals and the community.

Read more about the Recovery Navigators evaluation project

Watch a recent presentation about public and patient involvement in the evaluation project

Watch a video about the project here.