Safe. Sensible. Social. - drugslibrary.wordpress.stir.ac.ukdrugslibrary.wordpress.stir.ac.uk/files/2017/07/DH_079327.pdf · Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol

The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy – a summary

Safe. Sensible. Social.

What’s DH InformatIon reaDer BoX

Policy Estates HR/Workforce Commissioning Management IM & T Planning Finance Clinical Social Care/Partnership Working

Document purpose For information

Gateway reference: 8508

title Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy – a summary

author Department of Health, Home Office, Department for Children, Schools and Families and Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Publication date 1 August 2007

target audience PCT CEs, NHS Trust CEs, SHA CEs, Care Trust CEs, Foundation Trust CEs, Medical Directors, Directors of PH, Directors of Nursing, Local Authority CEs, Directors of Adult SSs, PCT PEC Chairs, NHS Trust Board Chairs, Special HA CEs, Directors of Finance, Allied Health Professionals, GPs, Communications Leads, Emergency Care Leads, Directors of Children’s SSs, DAAT Chairs, NHS commissioners, Government Offices, Police, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, probation staff, schools, young people’s stakeholders and the alcohol industry

Circulation list

Description Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy was published in June 2007. It reviews progress since the publication of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy (2004) and outlines further national and local action to achieve reductions in alcohol-related ill health and crime. This document provides a summary and practical examples for practitioners

Cross reference Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy

Superseded document N/A

action required N/A

timing N/A

Contact details Department of Health, Alcohol Policy Team Wellington House, 135–155 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UG Home Office, Alcohol Harm Reduction Programme Office Anti-Social Behaviour and Alcohol Unit 4th Floor Peel Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

for recipient’s use

The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy – a summary 3

Delivering it will involve working with local authorities, the police and other enforcement agencies, the NHS, voluntary and community organisations, prison and probation services, the alcohol industry and wider society.

80% of people think that more should be done to tackle the level of alcohol abuse in society.

Plenty of innovative practice already exists and examples are shown throughout this guide. Get inspired by these initiatives or tell us about what you’ve been doing in your area (see page 34).

Find out what the Government will be doing, and what’s expected of you, by checking out the ‘Taking action’ boxes.

What’s On 5 June 2007, the Department of Health (DH) and the Home Office jointly launched an updated government alcohol strategy, setting out clear goals and actions to promote sensible drinking and reduce the harm that alcohol can cause.

inside…

Contentsp4 Putting you in the picturep6 Drink safe p12 Calling time on crime

and violencep18 Tackling underage

drinkingp24 Taking responsibility –

working with industryp28 Taking action locallyp32 Raising awarenessp34 Next steps

The updated strategy aims to:• Stamp out illegal and

irresponsible behaviour.• Focus support and

information on those most at risk.

• Create an environment which promotes sensible drinking.

4 Safe. Sensible. Social.4 Safe. Sensible. Social.

Putting you in the pictureWhat’s the story? Putting you in the picture:• In England, 90% of adults

drink alcohol.• More alcohol is now

bought from off-licences and consumed at home.

• Very few people are able to estimate accurately how many units they drink.

• Alcohol-related deaths and disease have increased, and although the number of alcohol-related offences has generally decreased, people think that alcohol-related disorder is more of a problem.

Excessive drinking costs the UK economy around

£20 billion each year, in health, crime and disorder.

The updated strategy sets out a clear goal: to minimise the health harms, violence and antisocial behaviour associated with alcohol, while ensuring that people are able to enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly.

It specifically focuses on the minority of drinkers who cause the most harm to themselves, their communities and their families. They are:• young people under 18

who drink alcohol• 18–24-year-old binge

drinkers• harmful drinkers who are

drinking more than the recommended sensible drinking limits on a regular basis.


Weston-super-MareDonated bus is saving lives and tackling crimeOperating from the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, the brightly coloured Streetsafe bus acts as an emergency and recovery room for local revellers. Volunteers, local police and St John Ambulance staff deal with drink-related injuries, in many cases saving a trip to A&E. In addition, the bus provides a safe recovery spot for people who have drunk too much and a meeting place for those who have become separated from their friends.

Putting you in the picture

SheffieldProactive city initiatives lead to 30% drop in violent crime Weekly analysis of drink-related incidents has allowed the police, fire service and trading standards in Sheffield to identify and act on problematic premises. Other initiatives include ‘meet and greet’ points where police support officers and council staff provide safety and crime prevention advice, a medical help point and a taxi marshalling scheme to ensure that partygoers can get out of the city quickly.


Many people enjoy drinking and, at reasonable levels, alcohol can also offer certain health benefits. However, as the box below shows, harmful drinking affects not just people’s health but the economy as a whole.

You know your area best…Local authorities and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) need to have a wide understanding of the needs and demands of their local population in order to agree more effective long-term health and well-being priorities.

Strategic Health Authorities are responsible for ensuring that local systems operate effectively and deliver improved performance within the NHS.

Drink safe

• Alcohol-related illness or injury accounts for 180,000 hospital admissions per year.

• The total annual healthcare cost related to alcohol misuse adds up to £1.7 billion per year. The bulk of this cost is borne by the NHS.

• Alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled since 1979, with more people dying at a younger age.


TAKiNg ACTiON…DH will carry out a national review of how much alcohol-related harm costs the NHS.

Identify areas where the greatest savings can be made, through early identification and interventions. Publish the review in September 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…DH and the Home Office will establish a framework to support commissioners in planning local investment.

Publish the framework by December 2008.



What are we doing about this?International evidence suggests that by identifying alcohol misuse early and offering simple advice at this stage, people’s drinking can be reduced to more sensible levels very effectively – with as many as one in every eight people reducing their drinking to within low-risk levels.

Three trailblazer projects, launched by the Government in November 2006, looked at doing exactly this, and involved 57 sites and 2,500 patients.

A healthy approach

For men who regularly drink more than 8 units of alcohol a day and women who regularly drink more than 6 units a day, the risks of various diseases, such as liver disease or stroke, are significantly higher.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The Department of Health will set up a healthcare collaboration to roll out the lessons learnt from the trailblazers in April 2008.

in 2005, 4,160 people in England and Wales died from alcoholic liver disease.

8 Safe. Sensible. Social.8 Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy – a summary 9

North TynesideHandy tool encourages users to manage their alcohol consumptionNorth Tyneside PCT has developed an alcohol wheel/unit calculator* as part of its alcohol treatment programme. The wheel enables patients to calculate and monitor their alcohol and calorie consumption simultaneously and also provides information on the short- and long-term effects of drinking. A listing of local alcohol and mental health services is also included with the wheel.* Based on a model designed by Langbaurgh Primary Care Trust.

Tyne-and-WearPartnership leads to new intervention programmeGateshead PCT, funded by the Tyne-and-Wear Health Action Zone, has been working intensively to tailor elements of screening and alcohol intervention to ‘real world’ primary care. The aim of this project was to fine-tune tools, protocols and training, using a plan-do-study-act approach and it has resulted in an updated brief intervention programme called ‘How much is too much?’, along with training materials designed specifically for use in PCTs.

Good measures

Only 13% of drinkers keep a check on the number of units they drink.


TakinG acTiOn…The Government will target information and advice at people who drink at harmful levels, their families and their friends.

This will be achieved through government communications campaigns, the NHS and local communities. New information and advice will be available from August 2008.

TakinG acTiOn…The Government will develop new advice aimed at people who drink at harmful levels and their families and friends.

To run alongside other kinds of support and advice from the NHS. New information and advice will be available from August 2008.

North TynesideHealthy choices for PcT staffA course and information pack entitled ‘Healthy Choices Made Easier’ is being used to promote a healthy lifestyle to North Tyneside PCT/local authority staff. The course focuses on raising awareness of drinking alcohol responsibly and the dangers of overindulging. The course will initially be open to 10,000 PCT/local authority employees, with the potential for it to be made available to more organisations in the future.

10 Safe. Sensible. Social.

Most people have heard of units of alcohol, but many are confused about what a unit means and the relationship between units and glass sizes and drink strengths.

In 2003/04, the Government invested £217 million in alcohol treatment and

63,000 people were receiving treatment for alcohol disorder.

8.2 million people in England are drinking above the low-risk or sensible level and around 1.1 million people are actually dependent on alcohol.

Drinkers need more information

Pregnancy advice

Deciding to make the advice on alcohol and pregnancy consistent across the UK, the Government agreed with the four Chief Medical Officers of the UK to revise the wording on pregnancy.

As a general rule, pregnant women or women trying to conceive should avoid drinking alcohol. If they do choose to drink, to protect their baby they should not drink more than 1 to 2 units of alcohol once or twice a week and should not get drunk.

Over half of mothers (54%) said they drank alcohol during pregnancy.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The government will provide clear advice to women who are pregnant or trying to conceive.

From April 2008 this advice will be promoted in new campaigns.



Although violent crime has fallen by an impressive 41%1 since a high in 1995, surveys show that a quarter of the public perceive that crime and disorder has increased.

In 2005/06 17% of all violent incidents were committed in or around pubs or clubs.

So what are we doing about it?The police, local authorities, fire and rescue services and PCTs are responsible for reducing crime and disorder in their local areas, through Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs).

CDRPs are expected to prepare strategic assessments and plans to address the key challenges facing their localities, in line with local priorities.

Calling time on crime and violence

1 Crime in England and Wales 2006/07, www.homeoffice.gov.uk


TAKiNg ACTiON…DH and the Home Office will drive home messages about alcohol and risks and promote behaviour change on a local, regional and national level.

Target alcohol-related offenders with a combination

of penalties and health and education interventions. Establish an alcohol arrest referral pilot by autumn 2007 where people who have been arrested because of alcohol-related offences will be referred to be given advice on safe drinking.


63% of 18–24-year-old binge drinkers admit to committing criminal or disorderly behaviour before or after drinking.

getting tough

WakefieldMarshals increase street safety in Wakefield Spend a Friday or Saturday night in Wakefield city centre and you’ll see Night Life marshals patrolling the streets and taxi ranks. As part of an initiative to prevent alcohol-related crime, the marshals work in partnership with the police, monitoring the city centre and liaising with door staff at licensed premises. At the centre of the scheme is a central CCTV control room, which keeps in constant communication with marshals on the street. A questionnaire taken shortly after the scheme started revealed that 80% of people who visited the city on a weekend evening said they felt safer.

in 2005/06, about a fifth

of all violent incidents (17%) were committed in or around pubs or clubs.


Tackling crime togetherThe government believes that encouraging stronger local partnership and greater industry participation will help achieve real reductions in crime and disorder.

14 Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy – a summary 15

CamdenDispersal notices successfully deal with antisocial behaviour When alcohol-related abuse and crime by young people escalated on the Somers Town estate in Camden, a tough reaction was needed. Taking advantage of new laws under the Anti-social Behaviour Act, the police issued dispersal notices to gangs, moving them away from the area for a cooling-off period of 24 hours. If warned offenders returned within the specified period, they were liable to arrest. Call-outs for youth disorder were reduced by 66% during the three-month operation, with general crime falling by almost 36%.


TAKiNg ACTiON…The Home Office will improve the way alcohol-related offenders are dealt with in custody and in the community.

Support the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) key strategic aims and objectives:

• Publish an alcohol information pack for offenders under probation supervision – summer 2007

• Issue revised Alcohol Treatment Requirement implementation guidance – autumn 2007

• Disseminate learning from seven alcohol best practice projects across the National Probation Service – ongoing.

• Research the availability and accessibility of alcohol treatment to offenders to inform policy on improving alcohol provision – April 2009.

• Pilot a prisoner befriending scheme with Alcohol Concern in seven London prisons – launched May 2007, evaluate in summer 2007.

• Develop two alcohol treatment programmes for prisons, working with the Prison Service National Drugs Programme Delivery Unit and Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust – launched April 2007, evaluate in 2008.


This has been very successful and drink driving deaths in Great Britain have reduced dramatically in the last three decades, from more than 1,600 at the end of 1970 to 560 in 2005. But in the last ten years this decline has slowed significantly.

On the wagon

The THiNK! drink driving campaign used graphic images of the injuries that drink driving can cause to reinforce the message that drinking and driving don’t mix.

PlymouthPolice deploy headcams to gather essential evidenceInitially used in cases of domestic violence, Plymouth police soon realised the headcams’ potential for use in cases of public disorder. A headcam can record for up to 12 hours onto a portable 100GB hard drive, while a colour display screen allows for instant playback in the field.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The Home Office and Department for Transport will enforce the law on drink driving and sales of alcohol to underage people.

Estimates for 2005 suggest that

6% of road casualties and 17% of all road deaths occurred when someone was driving over the legal limit for alcohol.


The proportion of young people drinking has declined in recent years, but those who do drink are consuming more alcohol, more often.

Children’s Trusts and local Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnerships, in association with Drug and

Alcohol Action Teams, are responsible for tackling issues such as underage drinking and alcohol problems that contribute to poor educational attendance or teenage pregnancies.

Tackling underage drinking

Almost 90% of 15-year-olds have tried

alcohol, while over a third drink once a week or more.


Alcohol lowers inhibitions and excessive alcohol consumption is associated with a range of high-risk behaviours, including unprotected sex and offending – nearly half of all 10–17-year-olds who drink once a week or more admitted to some sort of criminal or disorderly behaviour. And, worryingly, the number of hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption has been increasing among young people in England in recent years.

The Government believes it has a responsibility to parents and young people to provide clearer information and guidance on the harm alcohol can do.

Protecting our children

In 2006/07, the Home Office, Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families provided £61.8 million in funding through the Young People’s Substance Misuse Grant to support local education and prevention projects, targeted support for the most vulnerable young people and specialist drug and alcohol treatment services.

Underage drinking is perceived as a real problem by the public and is frequently associated with criminal and disorderly behaviour.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will help young people and their parents make informed decisions about alcohol consumption.

Provide authoritative, accessible guidance about what is and isn’t safe and sensible in the light of the latest available evidence from the UK and abroad. Consultation with parents, young people and other stakeholders will take place from March to June 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…DCSF will examine the latest evidence on the effects of alcohol on young people’s physical, mental and emotional health.

Discuss and consult with a panel of paediatricians, psychologists and epidemiologists from November 2007 to January 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…DCSF will raise awareness of young people’s alcohol use.

Launch a campaign in April 2008 to raise awareness of young people’s alcohol use and create a culture where it is socially acceptable for young people to choose not to drink, and, if they do start drinking, to do so later and more safely.


Redcar and ClevelandTeens wise up about alcohol An innovative new project aims to talk to teens about drinks in a non-judgemental way, allowing them to open up about their own issues or concerns about drinking. The Drinkweiser roadshow aims to get young teens to explore the consequences of binge drinking and the effect it has on themselves, their friends and the community around them. Informal discussions are focused on safe drinking limits, how to understand alcohol units, the strengths of different drinks and alternatives to alcohol. In addition, there is information on coping with peer pressure and the possible consequences of alcohol-related crime.

WiltshireClub nights for young people help to cut crime ratesThe police, local communities and businesses are working together to create a series of activities across Wiltshire to combat underage drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence. In Marlborough and Pewsey, teen club nights are held regularly, while in Salisbury the Sparkplugs project focuses on sporting activities and quizzes for teens. A soccer school has been set up in Harnham, and in Bemerton Heath a formerly derelict field now hosts football and hockey matches with future plans for a BMX track.


Around half of all violent incidents take place at night at the weekend (between midnight and 6am).


Nearly half of underage drinkers reported that they obtained their alcohol from parents (48%); other sources were friends (29%) and bars or pubs (22%).

The majority of underage drinkers who attempted to buy alcohol from licensed premises were successful (84%) and 14% had been successful more than 11 times. Among those aged 16 or 17 the figures were even higher, with nearly all successfully purchasing alcohol from a shop (96%) or pub (98%) at least once.

Stopping underage salesEight in 10people support the current legal age for purchase but think there should be tougher penalties for retailers who sell alcohol to underage drinkers.


East ClevelandBanning booze to cut bad behaviourIn an effort to combat booze-fuelled confrontations, the police and off-licences in East Cleveland have agreed a voluntary code of conduct not to sell alcohol to under-21s on Friday and Saturday evenings. The result has been a dramatic cut in antisocial behaviour and improved conditions for staff and customers.


TAKiNg ACTiON…The government will prioritise reducing the test-purchase failure rate for underage sales of alcohol.

Ensure that enforcement agencies are making use of good practice and applying tactics and powers effectively.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The government will provide further guidance to ensure that enforcement activity is efficient and well targeted.

Develop a data collection model that will measure the progress on reducing underage sales. This will be done by the Government, the Association of Chief Police Officers and Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services by early 2008.

Taking responsibility

Many companies have adopted voluntary codes or participate in award schemes. But there are still businesses that act outside the law or fail to consider the interests of their customers or local communities, by selling alcohol to people who are under 18 or to individuals who are obviously already intoxicated.

Much of the industry is already working hard to encourage responsible practice in the way alcohol is manufactured and sold, and good progress has been made.

in future you might be reading this advice on bottle labels:UK Chief Medical Officers recommend adults do not regularly exceed:• Men: 3–4 units daily• Women: 2–3 units daily



Taking responsibilityTAKiNg ACTiON…The government will support local action to replace glassware and bottles with safer alternatives in individual high-risk premises.

This initiative is ongoing.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The Home Office will produce guidance on how best to identify high-risk premises.

Gather further evidence of where targeted interventions might produce benefits. This will be done by an expert group comprising the police, doctors, academics and representatives from the alcohol industry from October to December 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The government will review the relationship between alcohol price, promotion and harm.

Commission an independent national review of evidence. As a result of public consultation, consider the need for future change to laws, if necessary. The review will be published in April 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The Home Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will review how effective the industry’s Social Responsibility Standards are in reducing alcohol harm.

Consider the need for future changes to the law, as a result of public consultation. Autumn 2007.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The government will be undertaking sustained national campaigns to ensure everybody has the information they need to estimate how much they drink.

Inclusion of information about drinking sensibly on bottles and cans.



LiverpoolSafe in the cityAs part of the Citysafe scheme in Liverpool, central pubs and clubs are encouraged to be part of a radio link to share information about potential problems. Many bars also have ‘designated driver’ schemes that offer low-priced or free non-alcoholic drinks. Hand-held metal detectors at pubs and clubs discourage the carrying of knives and other offensive weapons and the scheme is subsidising bars and clubs to replace glasses with safer polycarbonate alternatives.

YeovilFuturistic first for historic market townYeovil is the first town in the country to create a biometric database of local partygoers that late night premises can access. Customers register by having a finger scan and providing their name and address, an image and formal identification such as a passport or driving licence. If a customer then goes on to commit an offence, a tag can be placed against their name and an alert sent to participating venues.



From 2008, Local Area Agreements (LAAs) will become the ‘delivery contract’ between central government and local government and its partners.

LAAs will help identify clear expectations for local

partnerships to tackle alcohol-related harm, while still allowing local flexibility. More local partnerships are now setting targets to reduce alcohol-related crime and hospital admissions.

For the new strategy to succeed, it’s vitally important that local communities, the police, local authorities, the NHS, voluntary organisations, the alcohol industry, the wider business community and the media all play their role.

TAKiNg ACTiON…The Home Office will help local partnerships and communities tackle alcohol-related crime.

Encourage more and stronger local partnerships and industry participation. April 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…All Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships will include an alcohol harm reduction strand as part of their crime reduction strategies.

Taking action locally


PeterboroughSpreading the wordPosters carrying personal safety and drink awareness messages were distributed to licensed premises around Peterborough city centre to communicate the potential dangers of harmful drinking to customers. Displayed in key areas such as cloakrooms and toilets, the posters were aimed at both male and female drinkers and the campaign included a portable

credit card-sized version of the poster. Some 20% of those interviewed during the campaign felt that the messages had affected their behaviour in a positive way.


Taking action locally


BristolFamily friendly entertainment brings new visitors to BristolKeen to attract more families into the city centre at weekends, Bristol council decided to pedestrianise Corn Street – a popular night-time area. By closing off the street to traffic and offering people the chance to enjoy free live music, street theatre, performance arts and dance, more visitors, including families, were attracted to the area. The initiative not only reduced crime in the area but also brought a lively, fiesta-style atmosphere to the city centre.

PlymouthOne-stop shop helps to combat alcohol-related offencesOperating between the hours of 11pm and 3am on a Friday and Saturday, the Operation Vivaldi victim reception centre eases the burden on local hospitals and provides a facility for the care of victims or witnesses of drink-related crime. Set up by the police Basic Command Unit in Plymouth, this city centre initiative enables medical staff to treat minor injuries while the police can collect evidence and take on-the-spot statements.


Raising awareness

Getting tough on advertisingNew advertising rules to protect the under-18sOfcom has introduced new rules to strengthen the existing broadcast alcohol advertising code. Under the new guide, adverts for alcoholic drinks must not appeal strongly to people under 18 by associating with youth culture, neither can they link alcohol with sexual activity or success or imply that alcohol can enhance attractiveness. Ads must not show, imply or refer to daring, toughness, aggression or irresponsible or antisocial behaviour, and alcoholic drinks must be handled and served responsibly.


Hero or zeroThe Know Your Limits campaign, launched in October 2006, targeted 18–24-year-old binge drinkers, across TV, cinema, print, radio and online.

The campaign played on the vulnerability of binge drinkers and emphasised the physical and criminal consequences that can happen as a result of too much alcohol.

It has been extremely effective at raising awareness among young people.

About 70% of people think that advertising influences the amount that other people drink, but interestingly only 10% believe it influences the amount they drink!

Raising awarenessTAKiNg ACTiON…DH and the Home Office will challenge public tolerance of drunkenness and harmful drinking.

Through sustained national campaigning. A communications campaign will be launched in April 2008.

TAKiNg ACTiON…DH will raise the public’s knowledge of alcohol units.

Ensure that everyone has the information they need to estimate how much they really do drink. A new communications campaign will be launched in April 2008.

CambridgeCommunications on target to raise awarenessTo target large numbers of people, Cambridge’s Multi-agency Violent Crime Task Group made use of radio adverts, internet pages and newspapers. They ran communications at key times, such as during the World Cup, to publicise safer drinking and to inform city residents and visitors about schemes and initiatives being undertaken to make the city safer.


To read the full Alcohol Strategy visit the DH website (www.dh.gov.uk) and look in the Publications and Statistics section, where you can download a PDF.

If you are doing some good work in your area to reduce alcohol harm, contact your local Government Office, as we may want to use your work as a case study.

Next steps

Contact details for government Offices can be found at www.gos.gov.uk

If consistently implemented across the UK, simple alcohol advice would result

in 250,000 men and 67,500 women reducing their drinking levels from hazardous and harmful to low risk each year.

© Crown copyright 2007 282466/R July 2007

Documents

Safe. Sensible. Social. - drugslibrary.wordpress.stir.ac.ukdrugslibrary.wordpress.stir.ac.uk/files/2017/07/DH_079327.pdf · Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol