SystmOne Supports Innovative Alcohol Screening for Teenagers in Ealing
Prevention in Action with SystmOne
Prevention sits at the core of the NHS Long Term Plan, but embedding preventive care into everyday practice requires smart, practical solutions. In Ealing, North West London, GP practices were facing a clear challenge: despite growing concerns around early alcohol misuse, routine screening in teenagers wasn’t happening consistently.
To address this, Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, North West London ICB GP IT Lead, introduced an innovative approach that harnesses the capabilities of SystmOne’s Visualisations and Communications Annexe. This has enabled practices across Ealing to incorporate the AUDIT questionnaire at scale, creating a streamlined, proactive system that supports earlier identification and intervention for young people.
A fully integrated, time-saving solution
With 68 GP practices now engaged, of which 67 use SystmOne, the solution provides an end-to-end, integrated pathway for alcohol screening. Key features include:
- Visualisations that drive insight
Clear, intuitive dashboards give teams immediate visibility of screening activity and outcomes, making data easier to interpret and act upon.
- Communications Annexe for efficient outreach
Practices can send questionnaires directly to patients, increasing response rates while significantly reducing manual work.
- A consistent, standardised model
A unified approach across all GP practices saves time, removes duplication, and supports high-quality, consistent care.
The Impact
- Swift rollout: Successfully implemented across 68 practices in Ealing Borough, demonstrating how quickly change can be achieved at scale.
- Engaging and empowering: Visual dashboards bring the data to life, helping staff instantly understand and act on insights.
- Significant time savings: A streamlined, standardised process cuts out duplication, freeing up staff to focus on patient care.
- Stronger patient engagement: Improved response rates, particularly among teenagers, mean more young people are being reached and supported earlier.
“The visual element really engages our teams – it’s quick to do, gets great responses, and saves a huge amount of admin time.” – Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, GP IT Lead, NHS NWL ICB
Resources and templates have been uploaded to the SystmOne Resource Library by Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, supporting efficient adoption in other areas.
Watch Dr Vijayadeva’s webinar (from 6 minutes onwards) for a demonstration of how SystmOne supports alcohol screening for both teenagers and adults: https://nhsuk.short.gy/ealing/alcoholdigitalAI
The Bigger Picture
Earlier intervention could prevent a lifetime of harm from excessive alcohol use, avoiding the wider health and social costs. This approach shows how technology and prevention go hand-in-hand. Looking ahead, Ealing plans to expand the use of SystmOne Visualisations and bulk questionnaires into other clinical areas, supporting broader population health management goals.