D2 Digital by Design: service delivery innovation award runner-up

Service users are sent personalised messages of support by the Response Prevention Project team. Photograph: Jason Lock/Jason Lock Photography

Text messages that support people recovering from alcohol misuse has significantly cut the number of people who relapse and have to be referred back to services.

Daily personalised support messages – which prompt a service user who has recently completed an alcohol misuse programme to reflect on their recovery – are delivered automatically as part of the Bolton Response Prevention Project called Shine.

The questions take into account the user's triggers to drink, such as the time of day they are likely to crave alcohol and also what motivates them to stop drinking such as their relationships with their family.

Service users are also asked whether they feel OK, or are struggling and need more support, and are sent appropriate messages.

Project manager Renate Kalnina at digital technology company D2 Digital by Design in Manchester, which is behind the initiative, says: "If they respond 'OK' we send them back a congratulatory message; if they are 'struggling' then the personalised intervention messages come into play.

"If they say that they need more support then the services get notified within 15 minutes and they get in touch with the client."

Service users are also sent a reminder via text message for appointments as part of the project, which ran from April 2010 to December 2012 in partnership with alcohol misuse services in Bolton.

Only 2.2% of Shine service users had to be re-referred for treatment, compared to 9.5% of non-Shine service users; a significant" reduction according to an analysis of the project.

Clients' attendance rates for relapse prevention programmes improved – rising from 42% to 72% in tier three services (medical intervention and psychosocial support) and from 17% to 72% in tier two services, which offer less intensive support and aftercare, the analysis revealed.

It is estimated the initiative has saved between £68,260 and £399,150, depending on individual client need.

D2 Digital by Design is in discussion with Public Health England about using the same model to support opiate users.

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