Alcohol: signs of improvement. The 2nd national Emergency Department survey of alcohol identification and intervention activity

TY - JOUR

T1 - Alcohol: signs of improvement. The 2nd national Emergency Department survey of alcohol identification and intervention activity

AU - Patton, Robert

AU - O'Hara, Pat

PY - 2013/6

Y1 - 2013/6

N2 - Objectives: To conduct a survey of current alcohol identification and brief advice activity in English Emergency Departments, and to compare the results with the previous survey conducted in 2007.Methodology: Cross-sectional survey of all 187 Emergency Departments in England.Results: Significant increases (p<0.001) in the proportion of departments routinely asking about alcohol, using a screening questionnaire, offering help/advice for alcohol problems, and having access to Alcohol Health Workers or Clinical Nurse Specialists. More than half of all departments indicated that they had an ‘alcohol champion’, and this was significantly associated with access to training on both identification and provision of brief advice (p<0.001). Departments that routinely asked questions were the most likely to use a formal screening tool (p<0.05), and the Paddington Alcohol Test was the most frequently used measure (40.5%).Conclusions: There have been significant improvements in ED alcohol identification and brief advice activity since 2007 in line with the recommendations of the Royal College of Physicians, Department of Health and NICE guidelines. English EDs are beginning to maximise the likelihood of identifying patients who may benefit from further help or advice about their alcohol consumption, and are able to offer access to specialist staff who can provide appropriate interventions.

AB - Objectives: To conduct a survey of current alcohol identification and brief advice activity in English Emergency Departments, and to compare the results with the previous survey conducted in 2007.Methodology: Cross-sectional survey of all 187 Emergency Departments in England.Results: Significant increases (p<0.001) in the proportion of departments routinely asking about alcohol, using a screening questionnaire, offering help/advice for alcohol problems, and having access to Alcohol Health Workers or Clinical Nurse Specialists. More than half of all departments indicated that they had an ‘alcohol champion’, and this was significantly associated with access to training on both identification and provision of brief advice (p<0.001). Departments that routinely asked questions were the most likely to use a formal screening tool (p<0.05), and the Paddington Alcohol Test was the most frequently used measure (40.5%).Conclusions: There have been significant improvements in ED alcohol identification and brief advice activity since 2007 in line with the recommendations of the Royal College of Physicians, Department of Health and NICE guidelines. English EDs are beginning to maximise the likelihood of identifying patients who may benefit from further help or advice about their alcohol consumption, and are able to offer access to specialist staff who can provide appropriate interventions.

KW - Alcohol

KW - Emergency

U2 - 10.1136/emermed-2012-201527

DO - 10.1136/emermed-2012-201527

M3 - Article

C2 - 22878039

SN - 1472-0213

VL - 30

SP - 492

EP - 495

JO - Emergency medicine journal : EMJ

JF - Emergency medicine journal : EMJ

IS - 6

ER -