Review of the New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs – Phase 2

Abstract

The New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs Phase 2 (NSD-2) is a cross-departmental strategy led by the Department of Health, which aims to reduce the level of alcohol and drug-related harm in Northern Ireland. The overall aim of the review was to evaluate the impact of NSD-2 on its aims of preventing and addressing harm related to substance misuse in Northern Ireland. The Institute of Public Health in Ireland was requested by the Department of Health to support the stakeholder engagement element of the review, by collating the views of key stakeholders on the delivery of NSD-2 and the associated structures, in the context of recent and emerging Government policy.

This component of the review focused on a process evaluation by exploring the views and experiences of stakeholders. There were two main components of the stakeholder engagement – an online questionnaire and a series of semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The stakeholder engagement was structured around set evaluation criteria: Relevance, Fidelity, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Sustainability and Equity. A summary of the findings is incorporated within the overall NSD-2 review report.