Scotland's first Managed Alcohol Programme: Evaluating the impact to inform future service delivery and research

People experiencing homelessness and alcohol dependence often encounter acute and chronic harms. Some people are unable to stop drinking, so approaches to reduce harm are needed. Managed Alcohol Programmes (MAPs) are residential harm reduction interventions specifically for this group. The first service in Scotland opened in late 2021. There is a need for a robust and rigorous academic evaluation in Scotland to understand the benefits and challenges of the MAP and provide learning to other organisations for future service implementation. This study will involve a realist review; quantitative data collection from 10 MAP residents and 10 people experiencing alcohol dependence and homelessness in other services to compare alcohol use and health outcomes. Interviews will also be conducted with 10 MAP residents, 10 staff in the service, 10 external stakeholders (such as healthcare professionals, third sector organisations and police) and 10 local residents to understand their views and experiences.