Service Quality in Alcohol Treatment: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The objective of the study was to qualitatively evaluate the managerial and organisational issues associated with service quality in a privately funded alcohol treatment centre in the UK. Two different groups of participants at a private treatment clinic were interviewed. The first group comprised 25 of its patients. The second group comprised 15 staff members of the same clinic. All 40 interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis was performed on the data to reveal the key themes. Six themes emerged from the interviews amongst patients and staff of the treatment clinic. The six themes were: (1) the fellowship of patients, (2) professionalism, (3) process and measurement, (4) incarceration, (5) empathy gap, and (6) access to treatment. Findings suggested there was a strong emphasis on management of the service delivery with established quality systems and performance measurement systems in place. The two service quality gaps, suggested by the research, were the rigid delivery of service and a lack of empathetic relationships with patients. Furthermore, by evaluating the service quality delivery from the service user's perspective, a voice was given to a group of patients, who in research terms have gone largely unheard.Keywords Problem drinking . Addiction . Addiction services . Revolving door . Service quality Service quality can be conceptualised as an evaluation or an attitude about a service offering or delivery but also viewed as an attribute that "closes the loop between evaluation and the choice process" (Bateson 1995; p.558). In the case of problem drinkers seeking treatment, the loop may be difficult to close because the number of services available makes it more complex. Many problem drinkers may not possess the physical and/or mental capacity to make appropriate choices (Edwards et al. 2003) and numerous choices of treatment services allows problem drinkers to move from one service to another and back again, creating a 'revolving door' practice. The 'revolving door' concept also shapes Int J Ment Health Addiction

Performance Measurement in Mental Health and Addictions Systems: A Scoping Review

“…These basic findings with respect to performance domains were reflected in frameworks that emphasized strategic goals during development (e.g., Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2015; Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care 2008; Veillard et al, 2010), as well as those that used techniques such as concept mapping or other group-based activities to identify the main components of performance (Graham et al, 2014; Holmes et al, 2014; McCusker et al, 2013; Nabitz et al., 2005a, 2005b; Resnick & Griffiths, 2010; Roeg et al, 2005; Sayal et al, 2012; Vargo et al, 2013). For example, in a study of performance definitions across stakeholder groups (clinicians, health system managers, patients, policy makers, and researchers), accessibility, continuity, patient centeredness, comprehensiveness, coordination, effectiveness, equity, and safety emerged as key components, named by three or more of the five groups (UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, 2015).…”

Access to specialist community alcohol treatment in England, and the relationship with alcohol-related hospital admissions: qualitative study of service users, service providers and service commissioners

“…6 These estimates are in the context of a national decline in the number of people accessing specialist community treatment for alcohol problems, this having fallen by 19% from a peak of 65 110 in 2013/14 to 52 383 in 2016/17. 3 Previous qualitative research has demonstrated that service users find it difficult to navigate through specialist alcohol services in England and that perceived fragmentation of treatment journeys has had a negative impact on service-user engagement, 7,8 but to our knowledge no qualitative research has been conducted within the specialist community alcohol treatment sector since the passage of the HSCA to examine what are considered to be the barriers that prevent service users accessing specialist community alcohol services, nor what are perceived to be the reasons behind increases in alcohol-related hospital admissions, and any associated dynamics with specialist services.…”

Delivering Service Quality in Alcohol Treatment: A Qualitative Comparison of Public and Private Treatment Centres by Service Users and Service Providers

“…In addition, problem drinkers may not possess the physical and/or mental capacity to make appropriate choices (Edwards, et al, 2003). Numerous choices of treatment services allow movement from one service to another and back again, creating a 'revolving door' practice (Resnick & Griffiths, 2009). The 'revolving door' also shapes service expectations as many problem drinkers have experienced a number of treatment providers and this influences expectations of subsequent service provision.…”