Impact Review 2025/26: Drug and Alcohol HIT
The Drug and Alcohol Health Integration Team (HIT) is a team of public health experts, academics, doctors and other professionals, working together to reduce the harm that can be caused by alcohol and substance use. Over the last year, the HIT has been active in providing information and evidence to support recommissioning and procurement of new services.
- 3rd July 2026
Advancing ‘Every Door Open’ Group
The Every Door Open (EDO) Co-produced Working Group brings together organisations and community groups across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, and Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire. EDO sets out to achieve system-wide commitment to the national ‘No Wrong Door’ vision for mental health, autism and learning disability, whereby everyone presenting at any point in the system receives the right, timely, coordinated support.
Led by HIT member Dr Emma Griffith and Stephen Budd at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP), EDO builds on workshops exploring how mental health and drug and alcohol services can work more effectively together, so that people do not “fall through the gaps”. This need is consistently reflected in national guidance, research evidence and lived experience.
Over the past year, the group has finalised a SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) document capturing learning and setting out clear recommendations. This is supported by a shared pledge, signed by several local organisations, including AWP, BNSSG ICB, Developing Health & Independenc, and Bristol and Swindon Councils.
Group representatives, including those with lived experience, presented Every Door Open at the Bristol Health Partners Conference in October 2026.
Exploring attitudes to overdose prevention centres
HIT members from Bristol Drugs Project secured funding from the Mental Health Research Incubator to carry out rapid research exploring views on overdose prevention centres in Bristol.
An embedded researcher has been appointed, and the HIT is supporting the delivery of this work. The findings should inform local discussions and decision‑making around overdose prevention and harm reduction approaches.
Reducing stigma around opioid substitution treatment
‘Voice of the Voiceless’ aims to reduce stigma for people receiving opioid substitution treatment (OST), empower them in their interactions with community pharmacies, and foster mutual understanding and respect between pharmacy staff and service users.
The engagement group began as a collaboration between people with lived experience of OST, University of Bristol academics, Bristol City Council, Bristol Drugs Project, Developing Health & Independence, and Harm Reduction Mothers2Mothers.
The HIT is now supporting Voice of the Voiceless to continue, and to inform its wider programme of work. Vicky Carlisle (University of Bristol) who leads the group has secured a Society for the Study of Addiction fellowship, supported by Voice of the Voiceless. The group has highlighted key issues including the impact of service re‑commissioning, lack of continuity in staffing, the potential value of a trauma ‘passport’, and the need for stronger advocacy for people experiencing multiple disadvantage who require coordinated multi‑agency support.
Welcoming lived experience expertise
The HIT is committed to meaningful involvement of people with lived and living experience. During the year, the team welcomed Sam as a public contributor. Sam also works with the Bristol Lived Experience Recovery Organisation (LERO), ), which launched in March 2026 with an event showcasing the activity and future plans for the group, including advising on the city‑wide drug and alcohol treatment strategy.
