Following successful development and delivery of the Competencies Framework PROgram for Alcohol Care Teams (PROACT), the inaugural meeting of the Clinical Network took place on Friday 8th April. This was attended by 26 Alcohol Specialist Nurses (ASNs) and support workers, covering the majority of Alcohol Care Team (ACT) staff across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Organised by the Collaborative, the event marked the launch of a Clinical Network for ACT’s and related staff in Cheshire and Merseyside, as well as providing a forum and programme of development activity to support ACTs, share learning, and facilitate co-production of PROACT for this year and beyond.
The event featured engaging presentations which covered the Collaborative’s Reduction of Harm from Alcohol programme; integrating care for alcohol patients; benefits of a fully optimised ACT on improving patient care and the benefits to the health economy; and the development of PROACT
These were led by a variety of fantastic speakers including:
- Margaret Jones, Director of Public Health, Sefton Council, and co-lead for Reduction of Harm from Alcohol Programme
- Ravi Menghani, Programme Manager, Champs Public Health Collaborative
- Dr Alan Owens, A&E consultant and Alcohol Lead at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
- Dr Lynn Owens, Nurse Consultant – Strategic Lead Alcohol Care Team, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Mandy Smith, Lead Alcohol Specialist Nurse, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
- David Byrne, Senior Project Manager, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Margaret Jones, Director of Public Health for Sefton and co-lead for the Collaborative’s Reduction of Harm from Alcohol Programme said:
“We were delighted with the success of the PROACT clinical network event. The event brought together the ACT community in Cheshire and Merseyside to develop and enhance their learning on alcohol care in a supportive environment. We have started planning our next clinical network event and look forward to supporting ACT staff to further develop their knowledge and skills.”
Attendees were asked what they found most useful from the event which led to some overwhelming positive feedback:
‘Getting together and seeing the journey of PROACT and where we fit in now and the future.’
‘Meeting other professionals, sharing experiences. Bringing ideas and felt heard.’
‘The talks, the information provided. Teamwork.’
‘Networking and hearing others experiences.’
‘Knowing we are not alone.’
Following this positive feedback and high success of the event, planning has already been put in place to meet again in the Autumn.
For further information on the PROACT Competencies Framework PROgram for Alcohol Care Team click here
