HHTU News Roundup

ProACTIVE WP 2a Updates

We are delighted to share that Work Package 2a (WP2a) of the ProACTIVE study has successfully closed to recruitment, having achieved its target recruitment numbers.

The ProACTIVE (Programme of Research for Alcohol Care Teams: Impact, Value and Effectiveness) study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and is led by Dr Tom Phillips (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research) and Professor Julia Sinclair (University of Southampton).

At the Hull Health Trials Unit, this important milestone has been made possible through the dedication and hard work of Mahboobeh, Beccy and Judith, who have worked tirelessly to keep the study on track and ensure recruitment targets were met.

Evaluating the Impact of Alcohol Care Teams

The aim of ProACTIVE WP2a is to evaluate the effectiveness of Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs). ACTs are specialist hospital-based services that provide care and support for people experiencing alcohol-related problems. The study compares outcomes for patients attending hospitals with an ACT to those attending hospitals without one, helping to strengthen the evidence base for these important services and inform future healthcare delivery.

A total of 546 participants were recruited to the study:

302 participants from hospitals without an ACT

244 participants from hospitals with an ACT

Although recruitment has now closed, the study remains active while the research team completes six-month follow-up data collection with participants.

Thank You to Everyone Involved

Reaching this milestone would not have been possible without the support and commitment of a large number of individuals and organisations. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all 546 participants who took part in the study, as well as the many Research Assistants and staff across all participating sites who contributed to this important research.

The participating hospital sites are:

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
St Helier Hospital
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Scarborough General Hospital
Poole Hospital
The Rotherham Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
St Thomas’ Hospital
Hull Royal Infirmary

Study Protocol Published

Alongside this recruitment success, the ProACTIVE research team has recently made available the study protocol for WP2a, providing further information on the methodology being used to assess the effectiveness of Alcohol Care Teams in England.

Thomas Phillips, Simon Coulton, Colin Angus et al. Prospective pragmatic quasi-experimental study to assess the impact and effectiveness of alcohol care teams (ACTs) targeting adults with alcohol dependence admitted to NHS hospitals in England: the ProACTIVE prospective patient study protocol was published as a preprint on Research Square on 12 June 2026.

You can read the above paper here https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-9896476/v1

As the study moves into its follow-up phase, we look forward to sharing the findings and insights from this important programme of research, which aims to improve care and outcomes for people affected by alcohol dependence.

Data Security Protection Toolkit Submitted

We’re delighted that the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) has been submitted for 2025–26. The DSPT is the NHS’s annual self-assessment that demonstrates how organisations handle, protect and securely manage sensitive data. In health research, maintaining high standards of data security is essential to safeguarding participant information, meeting legal and regulatory requirements, and preserving public trust. This submission reflects the commitment of colleagues across the organisation to ensure that data is protected and used responsibly to support high-quality research.