Abstract
Alcohol is the most common substance of choice amongst people seeking Alcohol and Other Drugs support in Australia, however there are limited treatment options available for individuals seeking help, and GPs can be reluctant to provide primary care withdrawal services due to a lack of appropriate training and expertise and limited financial incentive.
We initially collaborated as 3 PHNs (CESPHN, SNHN and Coordinare) to co-commission a proof of concept and evaluation of Clean Slate Clinic, a healthcare social enterprise with a mission to remove stigma, geographical and financial barriers to accessing alcohol and other drug treatments.
We tested an innovative new model for delivering primary care led alcohol withdrawal and recovery services via telehealth.
The model provides all the clinical components of a withdrawal service, including consultations with a General Practitioner and Alcohol and Other Drugs Nurse delivered through telehealth video consultation and online technology support to individuals through their care journey.
The University of Sydney have evaluated the model’s adoptability, acceptability, and effectiveness (primary objectives).
Secondary objectives included evaluating socio-demographics, Severity of Alcohol Dependence (SADQ) scores and co-morbidities.
81 participants were screened for a prospective 28-day observational study conducted over a 12-month period. 50 people completed detox. Exclusion criteria included history of seizures, complex co-morbidities, suicide or family violence risk, lack of support person or secure housing. Outcomes were retrieved from clinic documentation and questionnaires.
The telehealth model of service delivery has been evaluated as highly adoptable and acceptable. Results indicate that the Clean Slate Clinic is a feasible model for enabling participants to achieve their goals (84%), substantially reducing alcohol intake and reducing psychological distress.
The service has recently been expanded to include a stimulant pathway.