{
  "abstract": "Aims and Objectives Emergency Departments (EDs) are increasingly recognised as opportune settings to deliver health promotion interventions. Patients from areas of higher deprivation are more likely to engage in risky behaviours such as smoking, alcohol misuse and physical inactivity, with higher ED attendance and reduced engagement with preventative care. EDs therefore offer an opportunity to reach under-served populations. A key barrier identified by ED staff is the absence of specialised training and limited awareness of referral pathways. To address this, we implemented a novel ED-based health improvement curriculum within an acute teaching hospital in England. The study aimed to evaluate its impact on staff engagement with public health services.Method and Design A multi-modal, bespoke curriculum was co-designed with community organisations and delivered to multiprofessional staff between June 2023 and May 2024. Education was provided by two staff members (0.6 WTE over 12 months) through three delivery methods: clinical area microteaching (HI-5), Health Improvement Champions and online learning modules. Evaluation used education delivery trackers and reporting from co-located public health services (Alcohol Care Team and social prescribing service), alongside digital referrals to community-based smoking cessation services. Referral volume served as a pragmatic indicator of health promotion activity. Local clinical effectiveness approval was obtained (REF: 24-102C).Results and Conclusion Following implementation, overall referrals increased from 74 to 243 per month (+228%). Social prescribing referrals rose by +450%, Alcohol Care Team by +188% and smoking cessation by +23%. A total of 843 educational contacts occurred. Findings suggest that a tailored ED health improvement curriculum can enhance health promotion activity, particularly when co-located specialist teams support engagement. Limitations include that referral volume alone does not assess training quality, appropriateness or patient health outcomes. Embedding structured health promotion within routine ED care may offer a scalable means to address health inequalities.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Nottingham University Hospitals"
      ],
      "name": "Lucy Morris"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Nottingham University Hospitals"
      ],
      "name": "Laura Walker"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The University of Nottingham"
      ],
      "name": "Holly Blake"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Nottingham University Hospitals"
      ],
      "name": "Frank Coffey"
    }
  ],
  "title": "4194 Evaluating the impact of a novel health improvement curriculum on engagement with public health services",
  "uid": "56f2884f-a7c2-582c-848c-77f7868844ba"
}