Supporting the PCT's

Added on 16/10/2008
Updated on 17/08/2009

How we aim to support the PCT's

The Department of Health through the National Alcohol Improvement Programme and the Alcohol Learning Centre has put in place a number of initiatives to assist the PCTs with taking action to reduce alcohol-related harm These include:

Data and Planning

Provision of Alcohol-related Hospital Admissions Trend Data

For more information visit the Data pages
To access the A-rHA data visit the website

North West Public Health Observatory Data (NWPHO)

The NWPHO has collated the first local alcohol profiles set to support all PCTs and Local authorities in identifying local harms in order to prioritise local actions to tackle alcohol misuse. These indicators can provide a baseline for Joint Strategic Needs Assessment in relation to alcohol and the subsequent negotiation of Local Area Agreements and PCT operating plans.

Directors of Public Health are encouraged to use the National Indicator Set from NWPHO.

Access the NWPHO National Indicator Set Data and guidance on using the data .
Access more information on the Data pages

The National Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System: is now collecting information from service providers on the number of patients receiving specialist alcohol treatment in England

Support

Regional Alcohol Managers/Offices (RAOs)

New arrangements are being put in place with Regional Public Health Groups to establish Regional Alcohol Managers/Offices (RAOs) which willprovide linkage between SHAs, GOs, RDPH & DH, assure local delivery & performance monitoring, provide regional & local advocacy & championing

Please note that RAO's are being appointed at present. As more information becomes available on a regional basis details will be posted here.

For more information visit RAO

National Support Team (NST)

From September 2008, an Alcohol National Support Team (NST) will support PCTs and their partner organisations in areas with the highest rates of alcohol related hospital admissions to review their commissioning and delivery systems for alcohol harm reduction and identify what improvements could be made.

For more information, including contacts and schedule of visit NST

Sharing Learning

20 Early Implementation PCTs have been selected from those which face the highest challenge to "go further a little bit faster" in implementing improvements to reduce alcohol related admissions. Early Implementor PCTs will be supported by NST visits and a programme of healthcare collaboratives and learning sets.

An Improvement support team will provide learning sets and healthcare collaboratives to facilitate active resolution and shared problem solving across PCTs

Alcohol Learning Centre ALC

www.alcohollearningcentre.org.uk aims to disseminate local information and resources to support the PCT's and wider NHS in delivery.

For more information visit About Us

Screening and Intervention Programme for Sensible Drinking research (SIPS)

SIPS is a 2 year research programme led by the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London and Newcastle University, to provide additional evidence, support and improve implementation of alcohol identification and the delivery of brief advice (IBA). SIPS is testing educational and behavioural interventions to assist individuals to moderate their alcohol use to within sensible limits and avoid health and anti-social behavioural consequences. Interim reviews will help to develop and refine current tools and a final report will be available in summer 2009.