Research Projects:

Leeds Addiction Unit currently have four on going research projects. These are:

The UK Alcohol Treatment Trial (UKATT)

A multi-centre random controlled trial comparing two psychosocial treatments, namely the novel Social Behaviour and Network Therapy – 8 sessions - against the gold standard Motivational Enhancement Therapy – 3 sessions. The novel therapy is based on recruiting members of an individual’s social network to support change in substance misuse. The main outcome measures at 12 month follow up were % of days abstinent and amount consumed on drinking days. Funded by the Medical Research Council across three clinical centres – West Midlands, South Wales, and Leeds.

Rating the Process of Treatment

The development and validation of a manual to evaluate the delivery of psychosocial treatments. Video recorded treatment sessions were rated for the frequency and quality of the delivery of specified treatment components. The end product is a general purpose manual that can be adapted to different psychosocial interventions. Funded by the Alcohol Education and Research Council and using participants in the UK Alcohol Treatment Trial.

Opiate Detoxification

A comparison of buprenorphine versus lofexidine for community based opiate detoxification. Participants were first asked to accept a randomisation to either treatment; those refusing were allowed to chose their preferred treatment. The main outcome measures were severity of withdrawal, completion of the detoxification, and abstinence at one month post completion. Funding was part in-house and part from Schering Plough (who took no part in the design or conduct of the trial).


NHS Staff Survey

A survey of drinking, drug use and attitudes to working with patients with substance misuse problems. NHS staff working in different settings – general medicine, infectious diseases, obstetrics and general psychiatry – were asked to complete questionaires. The end product is a report on the relationship between personal substance use habits and attitudes towards dealing with patients who have substance misuse problems. The survey was carried out in the Yorkshire region and funded as part of a Regional Training Initiative by the Department of Health.