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. 2025 Jan 15;22(1):111.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22010111.

Building Connections and Striving to Build Better Futures: A Qualitative Interview Study of Alcohol Recovery Navigators' Practice in the North East of England, UK

Domna Salonen  1 , Amy O'Donnell  1 , Katherine Jackson  1 , Sarah Hulse  2   3 , James Crosbie  2   4 , Ryan Swiers  2   4 , Fiona Tasker  5 , Gemma Muldowney  5 , Anna Pickford  2   3 , Floor Christie-de Jong  6 , Eileen Kaner  1 , Emma-Joy Holland  1
Affiliations

Building Connections and Striving to Build Better Futures: A Qualitative Interview Study of Alcohol Recovery Navigators' Practice in the North East of England, UK

Domna Salonen et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

To address the holistic and continuity of care needs of people who attend North East hospitals frequently for alcohol-related reasons, Recovery Navigator (Navigator) roles were introduced into Alcohol Care Teams in six hospitals in the North East of England, UK, in 2022. The Navigators aimed to provide dedicated holistic support to patients experiencing alcohol harms, starting whilst in the hospital with the potential to continue this beyond discharge. This qualitative study explores the contributions that the Navigators make towards integrated alcohol care. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 7 patients, 1 carer, and 17 staff. We used reflexive thematic analysis and applied the concept of continuity of care and Self-Determination Theory. The findings suggest that all of the participants value Navigators having dedicated time to work with patients to address their social needs, that patients benefit from having someone who provides relational support and is 'gently persistent', and that most of the Navigators have good relationships with community providers and have supported the transition of patients to these services. Staff recognise the challenges of holistic alcohol care in hospitals, and the support of the Alcohol Care Teams and Navigators is seen as invaluable. Navigators help to address gaps in the provision of holistic support for patients who experience significant health inequalities.

Keywords: alcohol; alcohol care teams; care navigation; continuity of care; health inequalities; integrated care; mental health; qualitative research; self-determination theory.

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Conflict of interest statement

Sarah Hulse was employed by the North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board/North of England Commissioning Support (NECS). James Crosbie and Ryan Swiers were employed by the North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. Two of the authors, Sarah Hulse and James Crosbie, were involved in commissioning Recovery Navigator roles in the NENC. Ryan Swiers had an advisory capacity in the development of the roles. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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