CHD HA3 Provide support for individuals who express a wish to reduce their alcohol consumption

Overview

This standard is about providing support for individuals who express a wish to reduce their alcohol consumption. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. how to ask questions, listen carefully and summarise back
2. how to present information and advice in ways which are appropriate for different people
3. how to create environments suitable for frank, confidential discussions
4. dynamics and relationships within groups, and how to manage these
5. how to guide discussions with individuals and groups to achieve intended objectives
6. the importance of obtaining full and accurate information about individuals, and how to do so
7. the principle of confidentiality and what information may be given to whom
8. evidence of the effects of excessive alcohol consumption on people’s health
9. evidence of the differential effects of alcohol consumption on young people, adults and pregnant women
10. the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol
11. the nature and processes of alcohol addiction and withdrawal
12. the short-, medium- and long-term benefits of reducing alcohol consumption
13. the types of difficulties people have when reducing their alcohol consumption and the range of strategies people may use to cope with these difficulties
14. the principle of informed consent, and how to obtain informed consent from individuals
15. motivational interviewing techniques, and how to apply them with different individuals and groups
16. the range of motivations people may have for reducing their alcohol consumption, and how to discover their motivations
17. the range of reasons people may have for resisting change, and how to identify and overcome these reasons
18. the stages in behavioural change and how to support people through these stages
19. how to enable people to weigh up the pros and cons of reducing their alcohol consumption
20. how to enable people to develop realistic and achievable plans to change their behaviour
21. how excessive alcohol consumption can affect people’s risk of experiencing CHD
22. the nature of CHD, its different forms and its physical, psychological and social effects on individuals and their families

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. create an environment suitable for frank, confidential discussion
2. enable individuals to understand
1. the physical and psychological effects of alcohol
2. the links between excessive drinking and their specific disease
3. the possible negative consequences of continuing to consume too much alcohol (ie what might happen and the likelihood of it happening)
4. the possible negative consequences of reducing their alcohol consumption
3. enable individuals to articulate their motivations for reducing their alcohol consumption
4. encourage individuals to weigh up the pros and cons and, where appropriate, commit to specific, achievable and time-bound goals for reducing their alcohol consumption
5. encourage individuals to use simple tools to monitor their alcohol consumption and progress towards their goals
6. enable individuals to articulate the difficulties they have reducing their alcohol consumption and to develop strategies to cope with these difficulties
7. encourage individuals to offer and receive mutual encouragement and support
8. identify when individuals have achieved their goals, and celebrate their success
9. provide ongoing support to individuals to enable them to maintain their reduction in alcohol consumption

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: HWB4 Enablement to address health and wellbeing needs