Evaluation of the Host Responsibility programme in Dunedin City, 1990-1998: a retrospective case study

Abstract

Alcohol use is significantly implicated in many issues, such as motor vehicle crashes, intentional and unintentional injuries, and long term disease. Alcohol related harm was estimated in 1996, to cost New Zealand between $1.5 billion and $2.4 billion including injury, disease, lost production, lost working efficiency and excessive unemployment, even in the face of falling consumption. (ALAC 1998)

A commitment to reducing alcohol related harm has been evident in the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and successive Governments’ policies. An important objective remains "To improve health by reducing alcohol related harm" (Ministry of Health 1997). Thus the effort to identify and implement effective strategies was renewed. The key findings after reviewing published literature were that a successful prevention programme in licensed premises should have a comprehensive approach which includes management training, patron awareness, serving staff training, written responsible beverage service policies, purposeful community involvement, enforcement by police, skilful media advocacy, and a process to ensure institutionalisation of the programme.

Responsible beverage service was introduced to New Zealand as Host Responsibility in 1990 by the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC). Host Responsibility consists of five strategies aimed at altering the drinking environment to reduce alcohol related harm. They are to provide low and non-alcoholic alternatives and appropriate food, serve alcohol responsibly, be able to identify and responsibly deal with under-aged and intoxicated people, and arrange safe transport options. (ALAC, 1992)

This dissertation describes the approach undertaken in Dunedin implementing the Host Responsibility programme, evaluates the success of the programme and the elements that contribute to its success. Although the whole programme was evaluated, six benchmark projects were identified. Process and impact health promotion evaluation demonstrated that they were successful in meeting their objectives. Organisational analysis illustrated the factors which made the project successful and explained the enthusiastic adoption and development of the Host Responsibility concept in Dunedin.

The Dunedin programme was developed in a parallel timeframe to many of the programmes documented in the research literature. Nonetheless, it addressed many of the elements necessary for a successful programme. Purposeful involvement of the community of interest (in particular, members of the hospitality industry), training for management and staff of licensed premises, a requirement for written host responsibility policies in licensed premises, projects which involved and targeted both the industry and the public, and a commitment to institutionalising the Partnership Agencies relationship with a formal Partnership Protocol, are reflected in the Benchmark projects evaluated. Areas where the programme could improve were also identified. Increasing the public profile and patron awareness of projects, improving media advocacy, increasing police enforcement practices and building in more formal evaluation would strengthen and enhance an already successful programme.

The Partnership Agencies programme is characterised by a willingness to work with the industry, a variety of agencies and communities of interest, and to innovate while institutionalising that which has been successful, including creating a working environment where cross organisational co-operation and innovation were the expected norm. While outcome evaluation was not possible, it is plausible to conclude from other measures that the Dunedin Host Responsibility Programme has been successful in reducing alcohol related harm in Dunedin.