GP addiction nurses help treat alcohol problems in Scotland

As reported by Nursing in practice, specialist nurses in general practice teams have been effective in reducing problems with alcohol in deprived areas according to a new study

Research by the University of Dundee and the University of Sterling examined the management of alcohol problems in disadvantaged parts of Scotland.

Specialist addiction nurses were shown to benefit both patients and primary care workers, helping tailor support to the individual needs.

In Scotland, alcohol-related deaths are more than four times higher in the most disadvantaged areas than in the least disadvantaged areas.

Between 2020 and 2021 over 35,000 alcohol-related hospital stays were reported.

Leader of the study, Dr Andrea Mohan, said: “People from deprived backgrounds in Scotland continue to experience serious harms such as illness and early death due to alcohol.”

“Supporting this group can be challenging as they often have complex health and social needs and find it difficult to access appropriate services,” she added.

The research suggests the presence of a specialist addiction nurse within practices also improves collaborative work between staff and improve referral efficiency.

Deep End GPs work in the 100 most deprived populations in Scotland.

Dr Andrea Williamson, a Deep End GP in Glasgow, commented: “This research describes some of the key ingredients of high-quality care for Deep End patients – relational care, collaboration between GP practice teams and the specialist nurse, and ‘no wrong door’ when it comes to patients accessing appropriate specialist care and treatment.”

The researchers of the study have called for more funding to help further integrate specialist addiction nurses into general practice.