Alcohol Policy UK

News for 3/10/06

• The competitive drinking culture of the City is driving more and more bankers, traders and brokers to addiction.  Timesonline

• Drinking does not appear to be associated with the overall incidence of prostate cancer, according to findings published in the International Journal of Cancer. However, men who drink alcohol may have a lower risk of having an aggressive prostate cancer and dying from this cancer.  Reuters

• Visiting students are being reminded to wise up to the "Bath rules" to enjoy a trouble-free night out in the city.  With just weeks to go to the start of the university term, police in Bath are urging students to learn the dos and don'ts or face being fined for their actions.  Police believe that many students studying in Bath are probably unaware that the Three Strikes scheme is in operation which could potentially see them being banned from every pub in the area if they step out of line.  Avon and Somerset Constabulary

• A 'culture of intoxication' has taken hold across the UK, Lancashire university researchers have warned. Members of Lancaster University's criminology team found people under the age of 25 are going to pubs and clubs fully intending to end up very drunk.  A survey of 351 drinkers found most had drunk far more than the recommended daily limit – and were officially binge drinkers.  The study also found little gap between men and women when it comes to heavy drinking.  When interviewed, the women had drunk an average of 5.7 units of alcohol and the men 9.6 units – enough to classify them as 'binge-drinkers' according to the UK definition of six units for women and eight for men.  Criminologist Dr Fiona Measham, who headed the research team, said: "There's a new culture of intoxication in relation to alcohol and illegal drugs in this country.  "People are going out to get drunk and it's this determined drunkenness which is now the norm.  What they drink – shots, alcopops and cocktails – has changed so you can drink quicker and faster." Preston Today.  Research abstract here.

News for 3/9/06

• The number of new pubs, clubs, bars and takeaways in Wakefield could be limited in a move to improve safety at night.  The proposals target crime, disorder and public nuisance.  Wakefield Council has drawn up the strategy to meet its objectives under the Licensing Act 2003 and has asked everyone involved for their views.  The Cumulative Impact Policy proposes additional controls on licensing applications for new licensed premises in an area of the city centre bordered by Marsh Way, Kirkgate, Ings Road, Back Lane, Cliff Parade and Rishworth Street.  The strategy states that there will be a presumption that applications for new drinking venues in the area will be turned down – but this can be challenged.  Olivia Rowley, the council's cabinet member for community safety and cohesion, said: "We want to reduce the dominance of pubs, bars and nightclubs in the city centre and provide a wider range of entertainment in the area.  The future expansion of the night-time economy should be consistent with the ambitions of the council and its partners for regeneration and should actively promote a city centre that is a safe and pleasant place to be for everyone." Yorkshire Post  Current Wakefild licensing policy  Proposed Cumulative Impact Policy

• London's professional classes are now drinking so much that Alcoholics Anonymous has to hold 22 meetings a week across the City and Canary Wharf. Increased problem drinking by bankers, lawyers and accountants has been blamed on the pressures of the boom in mergers and acquisitions.  Merger and acquisition dealings around the world have reached £1.26bn so far this year, which is believed to be the highest figure on record for any equivalent period. Dr Mike McPhillips, a psychiatrist specialising in addiction, told the Financial Times that the Priory hospital in London now sees 'a large number of clients in the City and we are seeing younger people with this problem'. He added: 'The City has a culture that encourages excessive use of alcohol. The evidence suggests that the more money about, the more alcohol about.'  Observer

• Some of the UK's top corporate law firms are fostering "an undertone of homophobia", according to a report by the Law Society.  Big City law firms are still encouraging a culture of heavy drinking and visits to strip bars, which could drive away gay men and discourage women from joining them, research by the Law Society found.  The "constant trips to Spearmint Rhino, rugby matches and drinking sessions" meant many were afraid to come out as they thought it would hinder their career. Personel Today, Law Society report Career Exepriences of Gay and Lesbian Solicitors

Links for 9/6/06

• A clampdown on excessive drinking is at the heart of the biggest ever campaign to be launched by Wiltshire police force today.  "Think twice B4 getting trashed" is the message of the Operation XS campaign and each month for 7 months it will centre on a different aspect of excessive drinking including violent crime, drink driving, the effect on health, drink spiking, binge drinking, anti-social behaviour and the effect of alcohol-related crime on the emergency services.  This is Wiltshire

• A survey of British men has found 96 percent experience work-related stress, and 37 percent use alcohol as a way to put work behind them. Monsters & Critics

• Police in Bolton are warning troublemakers that they could face football banning orders for violence and disorder in the town during the World Cup. The orders are usually reserved for hooligans who wreak havoc in and around football grounds but police say drunken yobs spilling from the town's pubs after crunch games will be targeted.  This is Lancashire

• Meanwhile in Macclesfield everyone convicted of a drink-related offence in the last six months has been sent a personal letter warning that any problems they cause will be punished with a pub ban. Maccelsfield Express

• The number of premises selling alcohol in Northern Ireland should not be increased, the Government was told last night - by alcohol sellers. The Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade in Northern Ireland urged the Government not to ignore its own review. The Department of Social Development's consultation on changes to current liquor licensing legislation showed that 98 per cent of respondents were opposed to the abolition of the liquor licence surrender principle. Currently, a new liquor licence cannot be issued by the courts without an existing licence having first been surrendered.  Belfast Telegraph

• Alcohol is fuelling a vicious circle of assaults and retribution that has led to an increase in knife casualties over the past two years. Ninewells Hospital accident and emergency specialist Neil Nichol said staff were now dealing with stabbings and slashings on an almost daily basis.  Evening Telegraph

• Northern Ireland: the prevalence of foetal alcohol syndrome and other complications resulting from alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not recorded and not known.  House of Commons Hansard

• Numbers of drunkenness offences in England from House of Commons Hansard

• Parliamentary question on AHRSE.  House of Commons Hansard
  

  Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the scheme to establish alcohol health workers in accident and emergency departments, general practitioner surgeries and some criminal justice settings announced in November 2005 will begin.

  Caroline Flint: This scheme is an aspect of a series of trailblazer pilot sites to be implemented in 24 dedicated sites. We are in discussion with strategic health authorities as to how they can be delivered and when they will begin.

Links for 31/5/06

• One in six employees in Britain has been under the influence of alcohol at work in the last six months, a study into ‘Alcohol in the workplace’ by insurer Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA) has revealed. R&SA
• Alcohol and suicide: over 90% of young men who committed suicide in one Irish region had alcohol in their system, figures have shown. Furthermore, according to GPs, 20% of their patients who have died as a result of suicide, had a history of alcohol abuse. Irish Health and Fine Gael
• Sports stars support World Cup drink-driving campaign in Essex. East Anglian Daily Times
• Drink-fuelled trouble appears to have fallen in Leeds in the six months since new licensing laws were brought in, according to Leeds City Licensing Association.  Leeds Today
• The new licensing laws seem to have brought a reduction in alcohol-related trouble in Birmingham city centre too.  BBC News
• General review of the impact of the new licensing laws: BBC News
• Middle-aged men at risk of developing heart disease will be the target of a new £2 million initiative aimed at tackling Edinburgh's growing health divide.  Those at risk of developing heart problems will be given help to improve their health by reducing their alcohol intake, stopping smoking or losing weight.  Scotsman

Links for 30/5/06

• Photographs of underage drinkers are to be handed out to shops in Preston in a bid to curb antisocial behaviour.  Lancashire Evening Post
• Police were astonished when parents bought crates of beer for 15-year-olds and then complained when officers poured it away. Officers in Dewsbury are now considering prosecuting the parents and are making inquiries to try to trace those adults who bought alcohol for the children. Yorkshire Post
• The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) has found that alcohol and alcohol-related illnesses caused 12% of short-term absences in males and 4% of short-term absences in females. TimesOnline

Absenteeism and the World Cup: advice for employers

One in seven young men may skip work when June’s World Cup kicks off, according to research commissioned by Croner, who suggest employers can benefit from giving employees a chance to watch the big matches on TV's at work. From an alcohol harm reduction perspective that may also be a good idea - if it means employees don't take time off to watch matches in the pub.

Croner suggests employers should issue the following advice to their employees:    

1. Employees who wish to take time off to watch a sporting event must book annual leave using the normal procedures
2. Annual leave will not unreasonably be refused, but may not be granted in order to maintain minimum staffing levels
3. Disciplinary action may be taken if an employee is absent on the day of a major sporting event without a valid or medical reason
4. Employees absent without authorisation will not be paid for the time not worked
5. A TV or radio may be provided at the employer’s discretion
6. Employees are not permitted to consume alcohol on work premises or during working hours
7. This policy is non-contractual and the organisation reserves the right to amend or withdraw it at any time.

Stress in the workplace, and alcohol

From the Evening Standard: A survey by health charity Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP) found that 34% of men and 26% of women would consider an alcoholic drink as a way of helping them feel less stressed.  The poll of more than 1,000 adults in the UK found that 27% of men and 23% of women would have a cigarette to reduce stress levels.

The report - Stress and Wellbeing 2006 -  launched a new DPP/MIND campaign Dealing with Stress  to show how people can manage their stress and avoid the knock-on effects of depression and anxiety. 

• Regional statistics from the survey here.
• Information on drugs and alcohol in the workplace from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) here.
• HSE info on work-related stress here.
• The alcohol strategy for England talks about the workplace as one of five key settings where we get messages about alcohol (p25).  There appears to have been no progress on promised activity by the government to take advantage of workplace alcohol education, and to tackle alcohol-related lost productivity (see p31).

Workplace health and safety: noise in clubs

From icBirmingham: A survey of clubs and pubs in Birmingham's entertainment quarter found that music is regularly played so loud that the hearing of bar staff and glass collectors is at risk of permanent damage.

Thirteen out of 31 premises visited by city council environmental health teams found sound levels above 90 decibels, equivalent to the noise emitted when a power drill is used on concrete.  All but one of the premises were breaking legal limits for noise levels at work.

Employees had not been given hearing protection nor were quiet rooms set aside for staff, contravening the Noise at Work regulations.  In two cases, the inspectors noticed that glass collectors had devised their own ear plugs made from toilet paper.

Almost 100 members of staff were spoken to from bars and clubs in Broad Street, the Arcadian Centre and other city night spots. Nearly half said they had suffered from ringing ears or a temporary dullness in hearing. The symptoms are typical of exposure to excessive noise and are likely to result in long-term hearing damage, according to the council.

Workplace Christmas parties, fighting and sexual harassment

Research by Croner, business and employment consultants, suggests that half of office parties end up with colleagues fighting, one in three with incidents of sexual harassment and one in five with accidents involving employees.

Croner advise employers to:

• issue a “party policy” stating the responsibilities of employees and employer and clarifying unacceptable behaviour such as bullying and fighting
• identify potential hazards, for example by inspecting the venue and considering the safety of people going home
• ensure invitations to husbands and wives are extended to partners of the same sex to avoid potential sexual orientation discrimination claims
• managers should avoid discussing promotion, career prospects or salary with employees as they will expect “promises” made under the influence of alcohol to be kept
• limit the number of free drinks and be prepared to warn staff to take it easy on drink —employers may be held responsible for drink-induced disasters
• ensure food is safe to eat — buffets present a particularly high risk of food poisoning from foods such as cooked meats, eggs and mayonnaise, which should not be left out at room temperature for more than 90 minutes and should be stored below 5 degrees centigrade
• inform or remind staff of the company’s view on relationships — romantic encounters at office parties can cause embarrassment afterwards and put a strain on working relationships
• warn employees against drink driving, also provide numbers of local taxi firms or hire a minibus
• be clear about what will be expected of employees the morning after — where employees need to drive or operate machinery they should either be advised beforehand not to drink too much or be given alternative work until they are fit to resume their normal tasks.