Integration of alcohol and drug nurses into a mental health unit.

Objective: Test whether extra time with alcohol and drug nurses for inpatients at a Mental Health Unit (MHU) reduces post-discharge mental and co-occurring alcohol and drug problems and increases engagement in alcohol and drug treatment more than a Brief Information Pack (BIP).

Method: Single blind randomised control trial in block design compared two alcohol and drug nurse delivered interventions over 6 months post-discharge using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Brief Symptom Inventory index of overall psychological distress Global Severity Index (GSI).

Results: Alcohol and drug nurse delivered BIP was associated with a statistically significant reduction in AUDIT measured alcohol use for the highest follow-up score across the 6-month post-discharge period, = 20, = 2.