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Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the implementation and purposefulness of a new alcohol recovery Navigator role in the North East of England – preliminary qualitative findings

Cave, Michael, Swiers, Ryan, Salonen, Domna, Hulse, Sarah, Crosbie, James, O'Donnell, Amy, Jackson, Katherine, Holland, Emma-Joy and Christie-De Jong, Floor (2025) Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the implementation and purposefulness of a new alcohol recovery Navigator role in the North East of England – preliminary qualitative findings. Public Health in Practice, 10 (100661). ISSN 2666-5352

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Objectives
This study aimed to explore clinicians’ perspectives in a single acute hospital regarding the introduction and perceived impact of an Alcohol Recovery Navigator role. The role was implemented within a hospital setting in North-East England to improve uptake of treatment in the community post-discharge and thereby help to reduce alcohol-related repeat admissions.
Study design
A qualitative study was conducted.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with hospital clinicians (n = 8) recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, analysed using thematic analysis, with themes subsequently mapped onto Normalisation Process Theory constructs: coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, and reflexive monitoring.
Results
Participants reported high levels of knowledge and understanding (coherence) of the Alcohol Recovery Navigator role and valued having this service as part of patients’ recovery pathway. Staff appeared committed to engaging with the role (cognitive participation), which was perceived to have aided implementation and embedding of the role into patient care pathways. Participants were able to make the role work (collective action) by building relationships with hospital staff and patients to improve continuity of care. Staff appraisal (reflexive monitoring) observed increased engagement from patients with Navigators and perceived that the role contributed to patients making changes towards better health.
Conclusion
Participants’ perspectives support the continued provision of the Alcohol Recovery Navigator role. Implementation was viewed to have been successful, with Navigators imperative in bridging the gap between hospital and community care. Future research is required to assess the effectiveness of the wider programme.

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More Information

Uncontrolled Keywords: Alcohol recovery care Patient Navigator Qualitative Staff perspectives Normalisation process theory
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Floor Christie-De Jong

Identifiers

Item ID: 19472
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2025.100661
ISSN: 2666-5352
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/19472
Official URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Ryan Swiers: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7439-2356
ORCID for Domna Salonen: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5239-3625
ORCID for Katherine Jackson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0332-0475
ORCID for Emma-Joy Holland: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3029-7573
ORCID for Floor Christie-De Jong: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5275-8030

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 03 Oct 2025 09:06
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2025 09:06

Contributors

Author: Ryan Swiers ORCID iD
Author: Domna Salonen ORCID iD
Author: Katherine Jackson ORCID iD
Author: Emma-Joy Holland ORCID iD
Author: Floor Christie-De Jong ORCID iD
Author: Michael Cave
Author: Sarah Hulse
Author: James Crosbie
Author: Amy O'Donnell

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing

Subjects

Sciences > Health Sciences

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