Help-seeking experiences of Medically Assisted Treatment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What are the experiences of help-seeking for people accessing Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) services for addictions?
IRAS ID
347628
Contact name
Graeme Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
The Scottish Government (SG) has adopted a public health approach to address the multiple harms associated with illicit drug use in Scotland. A central strategy is the introduction of Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) pathways (SG, 2021), which offer psychological formulation and psychosocial intervention in conjunction with prescribed drug treatment.
This study aims to investigate people’s experiences of MAT, using semi-structured interview and thematic analysis to better understand patient perspectives of a new service initiative; in particular any barriers or facilitators of increased patient safety and subjective wellbeing.
Design:
Qualitative methods within qualitative research paradigm: Reflexive Thematic Analysis of semi-structured interviews will be used to explore individuals’ experiences and develop themes across the sample.Study population:
Individuals accessing MAT provided by NHS Fife Addictions Service.Procedure:
Eligible individuals will be invited to participate in the study at their initial assessment for NHS Fife MAT services. Individuals expressing an interest will be provided with a brief information sheet outlining the study aims and asked to provide contact details.The lead investigator will contact prospective participants to discuss the consent process, including the right to withdraw. Participants who wish to proceed and meet eligibility criteria will be provided with a participant information sheet describing the study aims, participation requirements and right to withdraw. Individuals who opt in will be invited to attend a 60–90-minute semi-structured interview via the lead investigator’s University of Edinburgh Microsoft Teams account. Consent to participate will be obtained in line with Fife Health Board and University of Edinburgh research guidelines. A debrief process will give participants the opportunity to discuss any arising issues. A debrief information sheet will remind participants of their right to withdraw and include sources of support.
Microsoft Teams transcripts will be reviewed and corrected by the lead investigator. The data will be anonymised and stored on an encrypted drive
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
25/WS/0144
Date of REC Opinion
15 Oct 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion