Quality standard

Quality statement 2: Community support networks and self-help groups

Quality statement 2: Community support networks and self-help groups

Quality statement

Adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder are given information on, and support to access, community support networks and self-help groups. [new 2023]

Rationale

Community support networks and self-help groups can be of benefit to adults with an alcohol-use disorder and can provide support at any point in their care. The person may not be aware of community support networks and self-help groups that they can access locally or how they can help people with an alcohol-use disorder. They may need support to access and participate in these groups.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Process

Proportion of adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder who are given information on, and support to access, community support networks and self-help groups.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who are given information on, and support to access, community support networks and self-help groups.

Denominator – the number of adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient and service user records.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (such as primary care services, secondary care services, social care services, criminal justice services, community and voluntary services) ensure that systems are in place for staff to provide accurate and up-to-date information about community support networks and self-help groups for alcohol-use disorders and support for adults to access them. They make staff aware of local and national information sources where available.

Health and social care practitioners (such as doctors, nurses, social workers, staff working in the criminal justice system, and community and voluntary sector workers) provide information to adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder on the community support networks and self-help groups available and their value. They provide support to access them when needed and consider safeguarding needs where people may be vulnerable.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services in which accurate and up-to-date information about community support networks and self-help groups is provided to adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder, and support is provided to access them when needed.

Adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder are given information on local community support networks and self-help groups, and the benefits of attending these. They can also get help to access these networks and groups if needed.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Alcohol-use disorder

Alcohol-use disorders cover a range of conditions, including:

  • hazardous drinking (a pattern of alcohol consumption that increases someone's risk of harm)

  • harmful drinking (a pattern of alcohol consumption that is causing mental or physical damage)

  • alcohol dependence (behavioural, cognitive and physiological factors that typically include a strong desire to drink alcohol and difficulties in controlling its use)

  • acute alcohol withdrawal (the physical and psychological symptoms that people can experience when they suddenly reduce the amount of alcohol they drink if they have previously been drinking excessively for prolonged periods of time).

[Adapted from NICE's guideline on alcohol-use disorders: prevention, glossary]

Community support networks and self-help groups

Both commissioned and peer-led networks and groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery, that may have in-person or online meetings. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence, recommendation 1.3.1.7]

Equality and diversity considerations

The presence of stigma in healthcare settings towards people with an alcohol-use disorder in general should be considered when giving information and support, as well as the effect of cultural factors on openly discussing alcohol-use disorders for people from some faith groups.

Additional support, such as transport, help accessing information on meetings and access to technology, may be needed:

  • for people due to their socio-economic status

  • for people experiencing homelessness

  • for people who are underserved for reasons such as living in an area where there are fewer community support networks and self-help groups.

People should be provided with information that they can easily read and understand themselves, or with support, so they can communicate effectively with health and social care services. Information should be in a format that suits their needs and preferences. It should be accessible to people who do not speak or read English, and it should be culturally appropriate and age appropriate. People should have access to an interpreter, or advocate in accordance with NICE's guideline on advocacy services for adults with health and social care needs, if needed.

For people with additional needs related to a disability, impairment or sensory loss, information should be provided as set out in NHS England's Accessible Information Standard or the equivalent standards for the devolved nations.