Opting into treatment: Increasing the rate of first appointment attendance with a community addiction team

Abstract

This study aimed to address and reduce the large proportion of first appointments that were not attended with a community-based addiction service. Over a 9-month period all referrals were allocated to a waiting list and seen by workers as caseloads allowed. This was compared with a 9-month period when new referrals were assessed for urgency. Those prioritised were seen as soon as was possible. Those considered routine were allocated to an opt-in procedure. Results suggest that the opt-in procedure increased efficiency by reducing the number of failed appointments. Additionally, it decreased the likelihood of potential service users failing to attend after long waiting periods.