The seminar introduced participants to the aims and methods of this multi-phase study. It focused on the findings of a meta-synthesis which involved analysis of 63 unique qualitative studies. A description and explanation of an explanatory model arising from the synthesis was then described. This was followed by a description of the methods and findings of a realist evaluation based on in-depth data collected from 86 participants in three UK study sites (2 in England and 1 in Scotland). Study participants were: Service users in regular contact with services; Service users not in regular contact with services; Core service staff; Core service managers; Non-core services staff; and Service commissioners. The webinar concludes with an opportunity for observations, insights, and questions from webinar participants. [59 minutes]

About the speaker: Steve MacGillivray is the lead of the Substance Use Research Group in the School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee. He has a background in Psychology and a PhD in Health Services Research. He has worked in drug harm reduction services in the past and as an academic in Psychiatry, General Practice, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Mother and Child Health. He has a track record of research within the field of mental health, particularly regarding the prescribing, efficacy, tolerability, and safety of antidepressants. His research also focuses on understanding the optimal delivery of services providing Opiate Substitution Therapy and/or Needle and Syringe Programmes, reducing health inequalities, and improving access to and engagement with health services. He has expertise in conducting meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, meta-syntheses of qualitative studies, rapid evidence reviews for policy, realist reviews, realist evaluation, and in-depth qualitative studies.