Alcohol Policy UK

News & updates March 2018: MUP Scotland and Wales, cuts, older people, beer affordability & more

Selected media stories since the February roundup:

Writing in the Scotsman, Alcohol Focus Scotland Chief Executive Alison Douglas, said "The historic introduction of Minimum Unit ­Pricing (MUP) of ­alcohol is just weeks away and will mark a significant turning point in ­Scotland’s damaging relationship with drink. When this life-saving ­policy comes into effect on May 1, the positive impact on the nation’s health will be felt in a matter of months. In the first year alone, minimum pricing could prevent 60 ­alcohol-related deaths, 1,300 hospital admissions and 3,500 crimes, and those health and ­other benefits will build over time.". See APUK's MUP and UK policy analysis here.

News & updates February 2018: pricing, Baclofen, admissions & new UK Hospitality industry body

Selected media stories since the January roundup: 

"Hazardous or harmful" drinkers must get the help they need if minimum unit pricing is introduced, Alcohol Concern Wales has said as the Welsh Government seeks to follow Scotland with a minimum 50p unit price in law. "I think we've known for quite sometime a lot of the alcohol in this country is consumed by those where alcohol is a problem not a pleasure" said, Andrew Misell, director of Alcohol Concern Wales. BBC

Alcohol resources and policy for 2018... and beyond?

Public Health England (PHE) have released a listing page of information and other resources to support commissioners, service providers and others providing alcohol and drug interventions. 

The resource will mainly be of use to those involved in the treatment sector, though includes an updated 'Alcohol: applying all our health' resource to support preventative activities and recent 'why invest?' resource. A full range of NICE alcohol guidance can be found here whilst Alcohol Research UK have a set of links and resources on identifying the evidence base.

Events & dates 2017/2018 & Alcohol Research UK Research Innovation Grants programme

Forthcoming events & dates

On 12 December 2017 an event 'Tackling alcohol and addictions through applied health research' is hosted  by King's College London and NIHR CLAHRC South London. The half-day conference will showcase current work iand provide a platform for PhD students to discuss the challenges of completing a PhD and  present their projects. Further details and registration here.

On Tuesday 23rd January 2018 the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) and Centre for Mental Health is hosting an event on 'Alcohol and mental health'. The event will highlight new research findings and the issues facing alcohol and mental health services. The event is invite only but if you are interested in attending contact Kellie Donaldson (e-mail kdonaldson@ias.org.uk / tel 02072224001.

News & updates November 2017: minimum pricing green light, research in the news, alcohol free wines & more

Selected media stories since the October round-up:

Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland

Big alcohol policy news in November came with the Supreme Court's judgement to allow minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland. As the Guardian put it: The UK supreme court has backed the Scottish government’s plans to introduce a minimum price . After a five-year legal battle against the plans led by the Scotch Whisky Association, the court ruled that minimum pricing was legal on health grounds under EU law. The seven judges unanimously agreed it was “a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”. See our coverage here and an Alcohol Concern explainer here.

News & updates October 2017: soberocracy, hangover-free prosecco, gin pong, rise of the micropub

Selected news and media stories since the September roundup:

We are witnessing the rise of a 'soberocracy' suggested the Telegraph at the start of Macmillan Cancer Support's 'Go Sober for October' initiative, whose popularity, and that of Alcohol Concern's 'Dry January', make 'the seemingly ingrained British belief that nights out and nights in both require alcohol [look] increasingly anachronistic'.

News & updates September 2017: Gin trends, stealth drinking, millennials, draft wine, pubs

Selected news and media stories since the August roundup:

A survey by Evenbrite says millennials consume 'just five units' of alcohol each week, reported Mailonline. Some 90 per cent see getting drunk as 'uncool' and a quarter believe it is 'pathetic' and 'embarrassing' when someone has had too much.

Hospital admissions linked to liver damage have doubled in a decade, according to new figures which also show that people from Blackpool are nearly eight times as likely to die from liver disease as those from Norfolk, reported the Telegraph.

News & updates March 2017: moderate drinking benefits?, marketing to children; labelling; fraud; & the Brexit booze cruise

Selected media stories since the February roundup:

The question of 'Is moderate drinking good for the heart?' returned to the headlines following new research finding non-drinkers were more likely to need treatment for certain cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, heart failure and angina, compared to people who drank alcohol within the previous weekly guidelines of 21 and 14 units per week for men and women. An NHS 'behind the headlines' analysis though emphasised such studies cannot prove alcohol consumption or lack of it is a direct cause of cardiovascular disease as non-drinkers were more likely to be from deprived areas, to have diabetes or be obese.

Alcohol Research UK funding calls & new Alcohol Research Grapevine

Alcohol Research UK funding calls: research grants & studentships

Applications are open for the 2016 Alcohol Research UK Research Innovation Grants programme, which must be received by 1 November 2016.

DCLG report on 'Alcohol Fund' project to tackle binge and underage drinking: money well spent?

Findings from a £1 million project to support ten key areas to tackle alcohol-related problems have been released by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG).

Not to be confused with the Home Office led Local Alcohol Action Areas (LAAAs), the ten main 'alcohol fund' areas were announced in 2012 as a two year project led by Baroness Newlove, the Government's Champion for Active, Safer Communities and pledged in the Government Alcohol Strategy. 

Download the The Alcohol fund: end of project report slides [pdf]

The overall aims of the project were to 'develop sustainable community-based approaches to tackle problem drinking' and 'test innovative ideas' involving partnership approaches to:

• Education & awareness raising (incl. youth education work)
• Youth work – outreach & diversionary activities
• Youth work – targeted work for those already with alcohol misuse issues
• Targeting hardened drinkers / street drinkers
• Police led operations
• Responsible retailing of alcohol
• Night-time economy
• Better use of data / info-sharing

Expected outcomes according to the end of project report were a 'direct measurable reduction in anti-social behaviour' and evidence of partnership working. However the 2012 announcement also detailed outcomes including fewer A&E admissions, reduced consumption by young people and reduced proxy sales. The report does acknowledge 'accessing A&E figures has been an issue for some areas'.

Evaluation, evidence and effectiveness?

The report gives a summary of the activity undertaken in the participating areas as well outcomes (or output) data. The summaries capture a range of activity relating to the various work strand areas, with young people focused educational activities appearing the most common.

Critics of the project might be keen to point out the limited evidence to support education or awareness based approaches, as well as the sparse detailing of actual outcomes or 'innovative ideas which can be disseminated more widely'. Questions also exist over partnership working as a valid focus of activity in itself, and one might expect more of a report following £1million worth of activity (assuming there is nothing further to be released).

On the other hand, demonstrating the impact of alcohol action is indeed difficult, and work to support and engage young people may have broader value than just its possible impact on alcohol use. Activities to reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder too can be valid for addressing both actual or perceived levels of crime, whilst making local alcohol action happen does indeed tend to require partnerships and resources. The report identifies that the project kick-started local action in some areas and levered in extra funding in others. 

However the project may still be prone to the same criticisms as the 2012 Government Alcohol Strategy that announced it; a heavy focus on crime and disorder and young people may be seen as alcohol policy influenced more by politics than evidence.