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• NHS Dumfries and Galloway
• East Ayrshire ADP
• NHS Fife
• NHS Forth Valley
• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• NHS Lanarkshire
• NHS Lothian
• NHS Orkney
• NHS Tayside

NHS Dumfries and Galloway

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Dumfries and Galloway, email Lorrain Hyland: lhyland@nhs.net

Big World for Young People: Annandale and Eskdale Education drama project, Annan

Young people take part in a group exercise theatrical drama about the risks of a night out in the 'big world'. After the production, interactive workshops are held, one of which covers alcohol awareness.
Students then have the opportunity to volunteer for alcohol consumption screening, and brief interventions can be delivered if appropriate. Some young people do not want to have an ABI delivered to them even when screening is positive, which presents challenges.
Contact: Elaine Lamont, Public Health Practitioner
elamont@nhs.net

Further Education: Dumfries and Galloway College

As young people tend not to access health services, Dumfries and Galloway College and the health improvement team, agreed that the college was an ideal location to inform and deliver alcohol consumption messages. Opportunistic screening and delivery of ABIs are carried out as appropriate.
The forms are anonymous, but getting people to engage with alcohol awareness has proved difficult. There can be an initial reluctance to attend an informative session if they are perceived as dictatorial about alcohol consumption. Once they realised the sessions were giving short, easily understood messages allowing them to make simple changes, they were happy to participate.
Contact: Tina Gibson, Public Health Practitioner
Tina.gibson@nhs.net

Dumfries LGBT group

The LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Group was happy for the Health Improvement team to disseminate information in an opportunistic fashion, to inform and raise awareness of alcohol issues and to deliver pertinent ABIs. Many young people attending the LGBT group discuss alcohol and drinking. The assessment forms are anonymous, allowing participants to be open and honest in their responses. Getting people to engage with alcohol awareness proved challenging particularly if they thought sessions would be dictatorial, telling everyone to abstain from alcohol. When they realised that we were giving concise, easily understood information that they could use to make simple changes they were happy to participate.
Contact: Tina Gibson, Public Health Practitioner
Tina.gibson@nhs.net

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East Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in East Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, email: liam.wells@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

East Ayrshire Council: Leisure Development Services

Children and young people aged between 12 and 18 are targeted to receive alcohol and drug interventions via a network of night time and diversionary sport and activity programmes. Front line staff act as mentors and positive role models and are trained to deliver ABIs, planned or opportunistic, dependent on the activity/setting.
An initial evaluation raised concerns regarding the formality of an ABI and the difficulties in keeping the young people engaged in an outdoor setting. We subsequently introduced the Drug/Alcohol Use Screening Tool (DUST) and worked with Barnardos Axis project to develop different communication approaches for the target group. There has been a positive response to this more informal style.
Contact: Angie Bennet, Leisure Development Manager
Angie.Bennett@east-ayrshire.gsx.gov.uk

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NHS Fife

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Fife email: evelynwilson@nhs.net

Mobile Alcohol Intervention Team

Fife Alcohol Partnership Project and staff from Clued Up work in partnership on the Mobile Alcohol Intervention Team (MAIT). The different skill sets of the professional workers involved, and their ability to work in partnership, contributes to the overall success of this model of delivery. Opportunistic screening and onward referral for delivery of ABI is undertaken by representatives from Fife Community Police, Health Improvement Nurses and detached youth work staff from Clued Up.
Engaging with young people in their own communities can also act as a barrier to some of the professional staff involved.
Contact: Laura Crombie, Project Manager, Clued Up
cubunker@hotmail.com

Clued Up and NHS Fife have developed an ABI training pack and DVD aimed more directly at those working in a youth setting. For information on this pack please contact: evelynwilson@nhs.net.

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NHS Forth Valley

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Forth Valley email: theresa.martinus@nhs.net

Youth services social work

Delivery is directed by the ADP Alcohol Strategy and local priorities, which include early intervention to reduce hazardous alcohol use, and to provide a strategy for youth workers engaging with young people to impact positively on health and wellbeing. This is generally done on a one-to-one basis.
The main challenge is evidencing screening and delivery through data collection, but we are supported by the Youth alcohol consumption, ADP Priorities – Early Intervention.
Contact details: Theresa Martinus, FVADP Coordinator
theresa.martinus@nhs.net

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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, email: paul.rimmer@glasgow.gov.uk

West Dunbartonshire: Youth workers and volunteers - Y Sort it

Delivery was agreed from direction given by West Dunbartonshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) and associated sub groups, to enhance ADP funded work to reduce harm from alcohol by young people through an existing social marketing campaign (Wrecked). ABI delivery was included in the Service Level Agreement from the ADP and internal processes had to be developed for ABI recording.
The staff were motivated to take part and following confidence building, now undertake opportunistic screening and delivery of ABIs. The appropriateness of the screening tool for those under 18 years is challenging.
Contact details: Ailsa King, Health Improvement Lead
Ailsa.King2@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

South Glasgow CHP community youth projects

In order to increase awareness of the effects of alcohol on health and provide options for change, ABI training is offered free to community projects, with ABI screening and delivery being offered opportunistically where appropriate. Sufficient resources are provided for delivery and trainers are offered ongoing support to deliver ABIs. Clear contact details, instructions and pathways are provided for possible referral.
Lack of feedback from staff and identifying ways to encourage staff to translate training into practice is still challenging.
Contact details: Lee Craig, Senior Health Improvement Practitioner
Lee.Craig@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

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NHS Lanarkshire

For more information about the overall strategy for delivery of ABI in NHS Lanarkshire, email: valerie.tallon@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk.

Youth counselling service - mainstream secondary schools and community

The ADP recognised that Lanarkshire Youth Counselling service had the capacity to address the need to raise awareness and to educate, especially in terms of 'normal' drinking behaviours and limits.
Once the patient and counselor have a sufficiently trusting relationship, all ABIs take place within the therapeutic alliance and the intervention has to be age appropriate. Planned screening, delivery of ABIs and follow-up is undertaken.
Attempts to use the FAST alcohol screening test proved disruptive to the therapeutic alliance and we also had challenges integrating what can be an inflexible tool.
Contact details: Liz Cairns, Team Leader, Lanarkshire Youth Counselling Service
elizabeth.cairns@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Youth Work - Community learning and Development

Staff members who attended the NHS Health Scotland Brief Intervention training discuss alcohol consumption with the young people we work with and undertake appropriate opportunistic screening and delivery of ABIs.
We benefit from having the opportunity to discuss alcohol consumption in various settings and various age groups, although we have no planned approach. It has also been helpful to use the knowledge gained through the ABI training in our programmes preparing young people for the world of work.
Contact details: Sonia Pitman, Senior Community Learning and Development Worker (Youth Work) NLC
pitmans@northlan.gov.uk

Youth Services - Liber8 Lanarkshire Ltd

StreetBase Youth Engagement workers provide a detached Youth Engagement Service. It targets and engages young people aged 10 – 18 years of age who are on the streets in the evening and who are involved in either directly consuming alcohol and or using other substances, or being affected by a significant others' misuse. Opportunistic screening and delivery of ABIs is undertaken as appropriate.
The key aspect was to be able to have staff on the streets at key times engaging with the young people involved, but detailed recording was a challenge due to the numbers involved.
Contact details: Tam Penman, Head of Youth Services, Liber8 Lanarkshire Ltd.
penmant@liber8.org.uk

Home School Partnership

The Home School Partnership Officer holds one session with pupils in a Duke of Edinburgh group as part of a larger citizenship programme. This resulted from previous discussions with the group over alcohol use and its social impact and subsequent planned screening and delivery of ABIs occur.
Young people can be reluctant to discuss alcohol use for fear their parents may find out.
Contact details: Arthur McKeown, Home School Partnership Officer, Community Learning and Development, North Lanarkshire Council
amckeown@dalziel.n-lanark.sch.uk

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NHS Lothian

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Lothian, email: jamie.megaw@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Collaborative Youth Projects: an initial pilot evolving into a city wide programme

The North Edinburgh Alcohol Initiative Collaborative (NEAIC) is a partnership project between 4 youth agencies working with young people (aged 12-21) around alcohol related issues. They provide a range of interventions of support & education, street-work and a programme of diversionary activities.
All staff across NEAIC projects received ABI training from NHS Lothian Health Promotion Service and ran a pilot project delivering ABIs after opportunistic screening . This has now been rolled out city wide following robust evaluation of the pilot, ongoing training of youth workers and partnership working with the Lothian Children and Families Department.
Support from other youth organisations and professionals who shared their experiences and knowledge was invaluable in helping to build upon existing work and further develop the programme to run city wide. The Edinburgh ADP and NHS Lothian ABI trainers have together developed an ABI Evaluation Action Plan and an ABI Evaluation Form. The diverse experience and skill set of the NEAIC staff ensured our evaluation tools provided relevant information for different types of organisations although follow up can be difficult with many of the young people we engage with.
Contact details: Eleanor McWhirter, ABI lead
Eleanor.McWhirter@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

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NHS Orkney

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Orkney email: andrea.spence-jones@nhs.net

Youth Café

Using a partnership approach, Orkney established a Youth Café to provide activities for young people whilst encompassing health check availability such as sexual health and alcohol awareness. Staff were eager to be trained in delivering ABIs as was the GP providing the sexual health service clinic in situ in the café at that time. The young people often raise the issue for themselves, family and friends and have access to being FAST screened or invited to engage in sessions to raise the issue of alcohol misuse. There are themed displays and unit measures, and calculators are readily available. Staff also saw developing ABI in the setting as a solution to ensuring the premises remain alcohol-free.
A multi-agency representation on the Youth Café board with a concerted aim of tackling alcohol misuse has been helpful, as has being in a non- clinical, relaxed and informal setting which allows open and frank discussion.
The challenging factors are that data is not recorded as there are competing demands on staff time, alongside the fact that prevalence of alcohol misuse is often viewed as the norm in the community.
Contact details:
Andrea Spence-Jones, Health Improvement Officer/ABI Co-ordinator
andrea.spence-jones@nhs.net

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NHS Tayside

For information about the overall approach to delivery of ABI in NHS Tayside email: kirsty.licence@nhs.net

The Corner: young people's health and information service - sexual health

The Corner provides a wide range of confidential health and information services for young people aged between 11 and 25 years. Youth workers and health staff have the opportunity to talk confidentially about alcohol, taking risks and some of the consequences of drinking alcohol. As part of this discussion staff will give information and support to young people about how to reduce risks and feel more in control when they are drinking, delivering opportunistic screening, ABI delivery and follow-up as appropriate.
Alcohol-focused work is an important part of our day to day contact with young people. We agreed an audit tool, and established brief intervention materials, as well as a referral route to specialist services.
The audit has become integrated into the Fraser Guidelines (guidelines used when under 16s access a contraceptive service without parental consent).
Contact details: Fiona McGrath, Health Service Link Worker, The Corner.
f.mcgrath@nhs.net

Total Dry Up Project

Through joint working with partner agencies, we work to reduce alcohol consumption, risk taking behaviour and criminal activity, while improving opportunities for personal development, psychological health and emotional well-being. We target defined groups of young people across Angus who are drinking alcohol in parks with opportunistic and planned screening and delivery of ABI being undertaken.
Contact details: Eric Knox, Director, Tayside Council on Alcohol
ericknox@alcoholtayside.com

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