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

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.