Helping on the way to recovery
Levels of alcohol harm remain the highest within the North East and North Cumbria.
A new support service to help people with severe alcohol problems is now available across all hospital trusts in the North East and North Cumbria (NENC).
Funded by the NENC ICB, Recovery Navigators will work in all the acute trusts in the region to help tackle the sharp rise in alcohol harm, which has become even more evident 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 Navigator service has been running since September 2021 at South Tyneside & Sunderland Foundation Trust and staff feel the service has been successful in bridging the gap between hospital and community care.
Roisin Burdis, Lead Alcohol Specialist Nurse said: "We feel that the Recovery Navigator is helping us build a more streamlined pathway for patients in hospital to access services in the community such as drug and alcohol treatment and family services."
The Recovery Navigators service has expanded, with all hospital trusts across the NENC region now offering patients support with alcohol issues.
The NENC ICS also offers all health and care staff access to alcohol support through DrinkCoach an online free confidential platform in which staff can evaluate their risks through the DrinkCoach Two Minute Test and access online support sessions.
An evaluation funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and working in partnership with the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC), will take place to assess the Recovery Navigators service and the impact it makes for people with alcohol problems and the services that support them.
Findings from the evaluation will be used to determine and improve future alcohol support services both in hospitals and the community.
To access support and advice around alcohol contact your local recovery team or find a alcohol support service local to you.
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