A pioneering project evaluating recovery outcomes in addiction rehab treatment aims to transform current treatment models and support people with achieving sustained recovery.
Researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University are working in partnership with Cheshire-based addiction rehab clinic Delamere to measure outcomes relating to the sustained effectiveness of addiction rehab treatment.
Research shows the first three months after leaving treatment is the most common time for people to relapse and Delamere, the UK’s only purpose-built residential rehab clinic, is the first to offer a structured post-residential support service.
During the two-year project, the team will co-create recovery-based monitoring within Delamere’s approach to treatment and develop an evaluation tool to assess and improve the outcomes of Bloom, the last phase of Delamere’s existing aftercare treatment model ‘Stop, Start, Grow, Bloom’.
Bloom is a 12-week post-residential intermediate care service designed to combat the risk of relapse, ensuring sustained and healthy recovery.
The project comes at a crucial time as addiction rates in the UK continue to rise with the number of adults in contact with drug and alcohol services increasing by 7% between 2023-2024, according to Office for Health and Improvement and Disparities.
It aims to contribute to a better understanding of addiction treatment and inform sustained change in an under-researched part of the sector. By evolving Delamere’s treatment model and evaluating outcomes for treatment, the team hopes to reduce the chance of relapse and help people to live longer and healthier lives.
Unlike most treatment models in the UK that place the emphasis on stopping the addictive behaviour, Delamere’s model targets the root-causes of addiction through a holistic, immersive, and connected 28-day treatment programme.
The first phase of the project is underway with the team conducting interviews with staff at Delamere, current guests who are taking part in the treatment programme, and people who have already completed the programme, to investigate what recovery means to them.
Emma Davidson, Project Associate at Manchester Met, said: “I’ve been deeply impressed by Delamere’s commitment to continually review and evolve its treatment model in line with the latest evidence. Their involvement in this project further demonstrates their dedication to delivering the highest quality service.
“We know that traditional measures of recovery – often focused on treatment completion and sustained abstinence – fail to capture the rich, varied experiences that define personal recovery journeys. That’s why I’m excited to be collaborating with the team to develop a framework for capturing outcomes that are truly meaningful to those who have accessed treatment at Delamere.”
Chris Lomas, Head of Therapy & Programme at Delamere, said: “Delamere’s approach to treatment is underpinned by the fact that every person’s experience with addiction is unique and therefore requires a tailored programme. We hope that this first-of-its-kind KTP with Manchester Met will be a win for all; those battling with addiction needing professional help, researchers in the field of addiction, and the wider addiction treatment sector as a whole.
“We are passionate about outcomes and continuous improvement. The third-party, evidence-based findings that will come from this partnership will further inform improvements to our treatment programme and approach, which we hope will maximise the personal outcomes for our guests, helping them grow beyond addiction.”
Funded by Innovate UK, this project is known as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), a UK-wide programme designed to foster innovation by linking organisations or businesses with academic institutions.
This year marks the 50th anniversary since the inception of KTPs, and later this month Manchester Met will join forces with funder, Innovate UK, The University of Manchester and the University of Salford to host the KTP 2025 Conference and Awards.
This new partnership builds on Manchester Met’s growing reputation as leaders in innovative research into drugs trends which includes the annual GM TRENDS report identifying changing patterns of drug use across Greater Manchester, alongside the work of MANDRAKE, a drug testing research project based at the University developed with Greater Manchester Police to test non-evidential drug samples and samples submitted by other external agencies.
Earlier this year, Manchester Met also hosted the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy conference where the University’s latest drug trends research was presented to international policymakers and researchers to help shape the future of drug policy.
