We are delighted that our ‘ACTIVE’ – Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in a context of alcohol services research and innovation’ group, has been shortlisted for a 2025 North-West Coast Research and Innovation Award. The award is under the category of ‘Outstanding Contribution to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement’.
This award recognises an individual or group in the North-West of England, that can demonstrate excellence in the participation of either individual patients, service users or carers within a piece of research or an innovative project. The work of the ACTIVE group highlights notable examples of best practice with involving diverse and all too often excluded voices.
Who are the ACTIVE group?
Commissioned by Champs Public Health Collaborative in Spring 2022, the Alcohol Care Team InVolvement and Engagement Group (ACTIVE) is made up of Cheshire and Merseyside (C&M) residents with lived experience of using alcohol care services, as well as their friends, family or carers.
The group aims to make the most of experiences of alcohol treatment and wider health care and support, with a view to influencing positive change in relevant services. It acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the C&M Programme for Alcohol Care and Treatment (PROACT), providing insights and helping to shape alcohol care within the subregion.
Members of ACTIVE are consulted to support the development of research funding proposals and have been invited to membership of steering groups for research projects like the BASIS trial: an NiHR funded clinical trial on the use of baclofen as an anti-craving agent. The group makes a plea to partner organisations to respect people as people, and not simply as patients, service users, clients or carers.
What does the PPI element involve?
Initially the focus was on supporting the implementation and evaluation of an innovation: Early Identification of Co-occurring Alcohol and Mental health Issues (EXAMH), including reviewing and appraising selection of outcome measures. As such, ACTIVE strive to support both practice innovations and research.
The connection with Life Rooms has been highly productive, and individual PPI members have taken up advertised opportunities and engaged in creative and cultural activities out with the core PPI work. For example, the group helped to write a play about surviving alcohol difficulties and planning for a community film festival showcasing alcohol survivorship. The group have also co-produced competency frameworks and clinical placement guides for skills development of nurses working in alcohol services.
Margeret Jones, Director of Public Health for Sefton Council and Champs DPH lead for Alcohol Harm Reduction, said:
“This is an excellent example of innovation and integrated working, and it is fantastic that the ACTIVE group have received recognition with this prestigious award nomination”
Margeret continued: “The outputs of our work have all been well received by staff and patients, with consequent improvements in care given and outcomes for those affected by alcohol harms. We could not have achieved this without the input and commitment of the ACTIVE group.”
The awards will be presented by Roger Johnson, BBC North West Tonight and BBC Breakfast presenter and the ceremony will take place on Thursday 10th April at The Spine Building in Liverpool.
