CoACH: ARBD explores alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) among hospital inpatients by assessing its prevalence and identifying care gaps. ARBD, a cognitive impairment linked to chronic, heavy alcohol consumption, is often underdiagnosed in hospitals due to lack of staff awareness, stigma and symptom variability. The lack of specialised community services exacerbates this problem, leading to longer hospital stays and inadequate care.
CoACH: ARBD is a collaborative project led by Dr Philippa Case (University of Hull) and funded by the University of Hull’s Hull Impact and Knowledge Exchange HEIF funding stream. Building on the existing partnership between Change Grow Live (CGL), Hull City Council, the national Mental Health Implementation Network (MHIN), and the University of Hull, this project will expand the evaluation of Alcohol Assertive Outreach Treatment (AAOT) aimed at supporting individuals with complex needs. AAOT uses a flexible approach to engage patients who struggle to access traditional alcohol services, ideal for those with ARBD.
This project aims to accelerate ARBD research impact by fostering knowledge exchange and translating findings into practice, and will involve:
- Establishing a collaborative network of regional stakeholders to share insights on ARBD prevalence and care pathways.
- Organising training workshops/forums for healthcare staff to raise awareness of ARBD diagnosis and care needs.
- Developing educational resources for patients, families, and clinicians to improve understanding and support for those with ARBD.
- Utilising the MHIN infrastructure to share findings and support knowledge exchange nationally.
- Using AAOT model findings to advocate for effective care pathways tailored to ARBD needs.
- Producing recommendations for service commissioning and developing comprehensive care strategies for early identification, diagnosis, and holistic treatment.
- Encouraging best practice adoption across the region through targeted policy briefings and stakeholder engagement.
These activities aim to bridge the gap between research and practice by involving stakeholders, ensuring rapid implementation of findings to create sustainable change enhancing ARBD care. The findings will enable a data-driven approach to improving ARBD care, shaping comprehensive, effective regional treatment strategies.
