Putting out the welcome mat—A qualitative exploration of service delivery processes and procedures as barriers to treatment‐seeking for people who use alcohol and other drugs

Abstract

Introduction There are a range of models and structures that determine features of alcohol and other drug treatment. Despite some structures being long‐established, less is known about how specific aspects of service delivery impact treatment‐seeking for people who use alcohol and other drugs. This Australian qualitative study explored both people with lived experience of problematic alcohol and other drug use, and health care staff's experiences of service delivery. Methods Thirty‐nine semi‐structured interviews with people with lived experience and staff from either alcohol and other drug specialist, or broader health‐care services, explored experiences of service delivery processes and procedures. Transcripts were thematically analysed and guided by a broad interest in barriers to treatment‐seeking. Results Within alcohol and other drug specialist services (i) time spent on wait lists; and (ii) poor implementation of assessment processes were identified barriers to treatment‐seeking and engagement. Within broader health‐care services (i) organisational expectations around behaviour and engagement; (ii) alcohol and other drugs viewed as separate to service role; and (iii) limited opportunities to informally engage were identified barriers to treatment‐seeking. Discussion and Conclusions Results suggest opportunities to engage and undertake needs‐based care planning are yet to be fully realised, particularly at the intake and assessment stages of alcohol and other drug service delivery; with frequent reassessment resulting in people repeatedly recounting traumatic experiences, often to different people, only to be placed back on wait lists with no support. Within broader health‐care services aspects of service delivery may perpetuate stigma that places such people outside the purview of health care.

Enriching qualitative alcohol and other drug research by engaging lived experience peer researchers in a dual‐interview approach: A case study

“…Key findings from the research have been published elsewhere, but in brief related to the contribution of the peer worker role in the hospital setting, stigmatising language and barriers to healthcare access [18–20]. The researchers attribute the richness of the research results and the immediate implementation of stigma reduction resources that were co‐developed through the project to this approach.…”