Evaluation of the Alcohol Liaison Service and Scoping to Develop a Co-Designed, Person Centred Service to Best Meet Population Need
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Introduction:
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB) aimed to transform its Alcohol Liaison Service into a sustainable, co-designed, person-centred Alcohol Care Service (ACS) to meet the needs of a population disproportionately affected by alcohol-related harm and deprivation. National data and local insights revealed significant gaps in access, integration, and equity, prompting urgent improvement.
Methods:
The project followed Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) principles, focusing on co-production with people with lived experience, system-wide engagement, and data-led service redesign. It involved mapping current service provision, running staff and service user engagement sessions, identifying care gaps, and developing an integrated 7-day Alcohol Care Team (ACT) across CTMUHB’s hospitals and communities. Strategic and operational workstreams guided the project alongside rigorous governance through national and local channels.
Outcomes:
Since implementation, 1,789 patients have received ACT support, with 394 hospital admissions averted and over 3,900 bed days saved - an estimated £1.25 million cost avoidance. Over 200 staff have been trained to improve alcohol screening, reducing stigma and improving early identification. Support for medically assisted withdrawal rose from 4 to 61 patients per month. 93% of patients now receive specialist support within 24 hours of admission, and patient satisfaction has increased markedly.
Learnings:
Timely, meaningful co-production and multi-agency collaboration enabled successful, population-aligned service change. Including VBHC teams ensured holistic, outcome-focused delivery. The project revealed challenges in data capture and highlighted the need for senior leadership support earlier. Lessons learned have informed other service innovations including diabetes care, hepatitis elimination, and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder campaigns.
What next?
CTMUHB will expand service user engagement, scale co-production across Wales, and lead development of the first PROM and PREM for alcohol care. These tools will embed patient voice in real-time service improvement and are being proposed for national adoption through the National Liver Implementation Group.
