Indications of Public Health in the English Regions: no. 8 Alcohol

This report highlights the harm due to alcohol experienced across England. Each section highlights a different measure of the effect of alcohol on the population. It reviews 36 different indicators and 84 separate sub-measures relating to the individual, community and population showing the implications of alcohol use and its effect on health and well-being. The report is intended to complement the new national strategy Safe.Sensible. Social. This is a valuable resource for Directors of Public Health who play a key role in identifying health and social care priorities.

Association of Public Health Observatories (2007) Indicators of public health in the English regions: no. 8 Alcohol

Statistics on alcohol: England, 2007

This comprehensive bulletin provides a range of information on alcohol use, misuse and its effects from a wide variety of sources. The bulletin aims to present a picture of health issues realting to alcohol in England. It covers drinking patterns in different groups, presents European comparisons and figures on alcohol-related ill-health, mortality, alcohol-related costs. This bulletin is an essential reference source on alcohol use and misuse in the England today.

The Information Centre (2007) Statistics on alcohol: England, 2007,

Breakthrough Britain - ending the cost of social breakdown.vol 4: Addictions: Policy recommendations to the Conservative Party.

 The Social Justice Policy Group has just completed a review and analysis of current drug and alcohol policies based on extensive consultation with organisations involved in alcohol-harm prevention and treatment. The report makes a number of recommendations including a proposal  an extra alcohol tax to fund drug treatment programmes

 Kath Gyngell (2007) Breakthrough Britain - ending the cost of social breakdown.vol 4: Addictions:

Violent crime, disorder and criminal damage since the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003

The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on November 24 2005. It established a single integrated scheme for licensing premises, dealing with alcohol, regulated entertainment and late night refreshment, and enabled flexible opening hours. The Home Office is leading an evaluation of the Act on levels of crime and disorder, using a range of measures at both a national and local level.  The results from this evaluation will be published at the end of 2007.

In the meantime the Home Office has carried out  a monitoring exercise carried out to get an indication of the change in police recorded crime following the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003. This paper builds on this, providing a more detailed analysis for data up to November 2006 and will contribute to the overall evaluation of the Act. It focuses on the types of offences that occur around licensed premises or can occur as a result of alcohol misuse, to see whether there was a change in recorded violent crime, disorder and criminal damage following the introduction of the Act in November 2005 and whether the timing of offences had changed.

Penny Babb (2007) Violent crime disorder and criminal damage since the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003, Home Office Online Report 16/07

Safe. Sensible. Social

Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy reviews progress  since the publication of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (2004) and outlines further national and local action to achieve long-term reductions in alcohol-related ill health and crime.

Alcohol Concern considers that many aspects of the new strategy are to be welcomed, such as the greater emphasis on health, the recognition of the need to support harmful drinkers and a tighter focus on ensuring the drinks industry operates in a responsible way. The Government has also made a welcome commitment to raise public
awareness about how to drink safely and about the potential consequences of not doing so. Alcohol Concern has lobbied hard to secure these commitments, and many others contained within the new Strategy, and we are pleased to see Government taking a more
comprehensive approach to tackling alcohol harm. However there are also serious omissions in the Strategy, such as the lack of effort to ensure enough high quality treatment is available for those who need it.

To view a full copy click: Safe. Sensible. Social

A Glass half empty: Alcohol Concern’s review of the impact of the Alcohol Harm

 

A Glass Half Empty? summarises Alcohol Concern’s vision of how society can achieve a more healthy relationship with alcohol as the Government reviews its Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy and prepares for next stage. It sets out: a review of the Strategy’s effectiveness to date; the principles which should underpin any new strategy,  and Alcohol Concern’s recommended aims and objectives to achieve lasting change.

Executive summary

To obtain a copy of the full report (£15) email info@alcoholconcern.org.uk.

Alcohol issues and the South Asian and African Communities: Improving education, research and service development.

Alcohol Concern’s Research Forum Report in 2002 found an inadequate level of evidence on problematic drinking in black and ethnic minority communities. Consequently much of the needs analyses for these communities has been based on poorly conducted research, small and outdated samples with significant gaps in the knowledge base.  With the result that there has been little effective action taken to address existing needs.

 

This study aims to rectify this situation. It draws on a wide-ranging review of literature relating to black and minority ethnic groups and their use or misuse of alcohol to provide a clearer view of the issue. It also engages with alcohol services to find out what is happening on the ground.  

AERC (2006) Alcohol issues and the South Asian and African Caribbean Communities

 

 

Substance Misuse in the undergraduate medical curriculum

 

The harm caused by tobacco and the misuse of alcohol and drugs presents one of our country’s biggest health challenges. Future doctors  have an important role in shaping and delivering the advice and treatment that can be offered to people with substance misuse problems. A core aim of the medical curriculum is to enable doctors to assist in prevention of substance misuse, and management of those dependent upon substances. The second core aim is to enable schools to help future and trainee doctors to be aware of the risk of substance misuse to their own health and to their professional practice and conduct. This is important not only for supporting doctors themselves and promoting their own good health, but also for promoting the proper care and protection of the public. The third aim focuses on stigma and discrimination. This is important in promoting fair and equitable access to advice and care for those with substance-related health problems.  

This document is an important and positive contribution to support medical schools and to help them in delivering a strong and co-ordinated approach on substance misuse within their curricula.

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer

The International Centre for Drug Policy (ICDP) (2007) Substance misuse in the undergraduate medical curriculum.

Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2006: headline figures

The latest headline figures on teenage have recently been published and show a mixed picture. While there are some encouraging signs, in that the proportion of teenagers who do not drink increased from 42% to 46% from 2005 to 2006, consumption levels among those who did drink continues to rise from 5.3 alcohol units per week in 1990 to 11.4 units in 2006. It is clear young people’s drinking continues to be an issue for concern

See Smoking , drinking and drug use among young people in England - headline figures

Multi-component programmes: an approach to prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm

A key element of the Government’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy ( 2004) is the focus on local coordinated action to reduce the cost of alcohol to the individual and communities.  A new report from the Joseph Rowntree reviews international experience of comunity-based programmes and provides recommendations for how they could be made to work in the United Kingdom. Betsy Thom and Mariana Bayley (2007) Multi-component programmes: an approach to prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm, York, Joesph Rowntree Foundation.

To obtain a copy