14 March 2017
Researchers:
Professor Sarah Galvani (Dept of Social Care and Social Work, Manchester Metropolitan University); Dr Denise Tanner (Dept of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Birmingham); Mr Stephen Jeffreys, Dr Beverley Smith, Dr Jo-Pei Tan, Ms Sophie Smailes, Dr Cherilyn Dance (Dept of Social Care and Social Work, MMU); Professor Kevin Albertson (Dept of Economics, MMU).
Key findings
- TOML allows for the development of closer and more developed therapeutic relationships between users of the service and professionals. This appears to be key to its success.
- Involvement of volunteers and peer supporters gives TOML a wider reach and breadth of support it otherwise could not offer
- Group activities appear to be the most challenging element of TOML in terms of maximising attendance and success. However, those who attended valued them highly.
- Working with an older client group required a change in attitudes and approach compared to ‘practice as usual’. It also required increased knowledge about health conditions and a commitment to partnership practice.
- TOML would break-even providing people completing the programme maintain their target level of alcohol intake for 22 months (or 15 months if volunteer time is not included in the costs).
- Three features of the TOML service were highlighted as most sustainable without further dedicated funding including the volunteer and peer supporter work, group work, partnership and training.
