NHS Commissioning of Alcohol Pathway redesign

Steve was engaged to develop and redesign the Alcohol Service within a North West PCT. He identified gaps in the existing service and created a series of business cases to address them – with a total value of £2.2m. The board approved all business cases, despite stiff competition for funding.

Steve recommended simple cultural changes which would improve outcomes for patients. He opened communication channels by facilitating workshops amongst providers, ensuring that everyone understood the value of the each provider’s stage of treatment. As a result, clients now experience a seamless transition through each stage: from screening and treatment, to aftercare in the community. He also led the commissioning of a social marketing campaign to bring those at risk into treatment and facilitate changes in attitude and behaviour towards the use of alcohol.

During this assignment and due to the work Steve was delivering at a Staffordshire PCT, Steve identified the opportunity to join the programme up with the care pathway for alcohol abuse. Based on the link between alcohol abuse and CVD, he ensured screenings at Health Checks also screened for alcohol – a more efficient use of resources and providing a better understanding of the care needs of patients.

This translated into an opportunity for up to 20,000 additional screenings and freed up resource to be reinvested in targeting short stay admissions. The new linked up service has had a major impact on the number of alcohol related admissions, achieving figures that are 15% below the trajectory suggested by the Government Office of the North West.

The Alcohol Service Co-ordinator said: “Steve has been an asset to the team and the programme, and was instrumental in terms of its commissioning, creation and development. He has a vast range of business and project management skills and has driven forward NHS commissioning on our local alcohol programme and services. He also has detailed and specialist knowledge of alcohol needs, provision and related performance frameworks.”

A Director at a partnering third sector provider had this to say about Steve’s approach: “It has been a pleasure to work with Steve and in a small way being involved in his successful implementation of the overall alcohol treatment strategy. His support in Third Sector Providers development of our Community Alcohol Projects has been very much appreciated and his work in promoting a partnership approach to the delivery of services has without doubt led to a vast improvement in the alcohol services.”