Reaching out to patients with alcohol and drug misuse problems

The Alcohol Liaison Team at the Royal Free Hospital in London has developed its service provision from the basic traditional model to one that is better able to meet patient demand. It has developed the parts of the service that have been effective for patient outcomes, and this work was the main rationale for submitting the team for the Gastrointestinal Nurse of the Year Award in the BJN Awards 2023. The team, which has increased its remit and is now named the Alcohol and Drug Liaison Service, was delighted to win the Gold Award. It consists of two nurses, myself and my colleague Kevin Reaburn.

The team has offered individuals with alcohol dependency the option of being followed up by the service in outpatients or being referred to their local service. Having this choice has been important for those attending. The Alcohol Liaison Service Outpatients Service has expanded the number of clinics it runs weekly from one to three, including one in Barnet General Hospital. Patients are offered a service that can assess, plan care and treat them in a single appointment. This simple concept has proved popular, with high numbers seen by the team, with the vast majority having positive outcomes.