Thomas Phillips1,2, Chao Huang3, Emmert Roberts2,4, Colin Drummond2,4. 1. Institute for Clinical and Applied Health Research, Allam Medical Building, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. 2. National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF, UK. 3. Hull York Medical School, Allam Medical Building, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. 4. South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham BR3 3BX, UK.
Abstract
AIMS: We assessed the relationship between specialist and non-specialist admissions for alcohol withdrawal since the introduction of the UK government Health and Social Care Act in 2012. METHODS: Using publicly available national data sets from 2009 to 2019, we compared the number of alcohol withdrawal admissions and estimated costs in specialist and non-specialist treatment settings. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation providing strong evidence of an association was observed between the fall in specialist and rise in non-specialist admissions. Significant cost reductions within specialist services were displaced to non-specialist settings. CONCLUSIONS: The shift in demand from specialist to non-specialist alcohol admissions due to policy changes in England should be reversed by specialist workforce investment to improve outcomes. In the meantime, non-specialist services and staff must be resourced and equipped to meet the complex needs of these service users.
AIMS: We assessed the relationship between specialist and non-specialist admissions for alcohol withdrawal since the introduction of the UK government Health and Social Care Act in 2012. METHODS: Using publicly available national data sets from 2009 to 2019, we compared the number of alcohol withdrawal admissions and estimated costs in specialist and non-specialist treatment settings. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation providing strong evidence of an association was observed between the fall in specialist and rise in non-specialist admissions. Significant cost reductions within specialist services were displaced to non-specialist settings. CONCLUSIONS: The shift in demand from specialist to non-specialist alcohol admissions due to policy changes in England should be reversed by specialist workforce investment to improve outcomes. In the meantime, non-specialist services and staff must be resourced and equipped to meet the complex needs of these service users.
Authors: Roger Williams; Guruprasad Aithal; Graeme J Alexander; Michael Allison; Iain Armstrong; Richard Aspinall; Alastair Baker; Rachel Batterham; Katrina Brown; Robyn Burton; Matthew E Cramp; Natalie Day; Anil Dhawan; Colin Drummond; James Ferguson; Graham Foster; Ian Gilmore; Jonny Greenberg; Clive Henn; Helen Jarvis; Deirdre Kelly; Mead Mathews; Annie McCloud; Alastair MacGilchrist; Martin McKee; Kieran Moriarty; Joanne Morling; Philip Newsome; Peter Rice; Stephen Roberts; Harry Rutter; Marianne Samyn; Katherine Severi; Nick Sheron; Douglas Thorburn; Julia Verne; Jyotsna Vohra; John Williams; Andrew Yeoman Journal: Lancet Date: 2019-11-29 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Emmert Roberts; Rachel Morse; Sophie Epstein; Matthew Hotopf; David Leon; Colin Drummond Journal: Addiction Date: 2019-07-03 Impact factor: 6.526