title: The alcohol improvement programme: evaluation of an initiative to address alcohol-related health harm in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The evaluation aimed to assess the impact of The Alcohol Improvement Programme (AIP). This was a UK Department of Health initiative (April 2008-March 2011) aiming to contribute to the reduction of alcohol-related harm as measured by a reduction in the rate of increase in alcohol-related hospital admissions (ARHAs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The evaluation (March 2010-September 2011) used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the impact of the AIP on ARHAs, to describe and assess the process of implementation, and to identify elements of the programme which might serve as a 'legacy' for the future.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no evidence that the AIP had an impact on reducing the rise in the rate of ARHAs. The AIP was successfully delivered, increased the priority given to alcohol-related harm on local policy agendas and strengthened the infrastructure for the delivery of interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there was no measurable short-term impact on the rise in the rate of ARHAs, the AIP helped to set up a strategic response and a delivery infrastructure as a first, necessary step in working towards that goal. There are a number of valuable elements in the AIP which should be retained and repackaged to fit into new policy contexts.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Education, Middlesex University, London, UK. b.thom@mdx.ac.uk
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thom
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: MacGregor
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.forename: Charlie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tchilingirian
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toner
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*