A new Alcohol Concern briefing report outlines steps A&E departments can take to provide harm reduction to young people who attend hospital as a result of their drinking:
Reducing underage alcohol harm in Accident and Emergency settings
The report outlines simple steps that A&E departments can take to identify at risk young drinkers in order to provide them with access to appropriate early interventions. Key points include:
- A&E departments should prioritise the reduction of alcohol harm in young people. Simple preventative measures will have positive long-term cost benefits and improve health outcomes for patients.
- Alcohol-related A&E attendances should be consistently recorded, including when alcohol is a contributory (e.g. self-harm, head injuries) as well as a primary (poisoning) factor in attendance.
- A&E departments should consider recognising young people’s alcohol-related attendances as a safeguarding concern that warrants intervention, including referral to specialist support.
- A&E health staff should be trained to identify alcohol-related attendances and given support in delivering brief harm-reduction interventions.
See here for an Alcohol Conern press release. The report was also featured in The Guardian.
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