A BBC radio programme 'The Fix' aired this week in which teams of innovators were challenged to come up with new potential solutions to the issue of harmful drinking.
The programme raises the question of whether untapped solutions to alcohol problems might exist that fall beyond the scope of Government policy. As public health roles and expert adviser on the show Dr Sally Marlow highlighted, whilst evidence backed levers such as minimum pricing are not being used by Government, the rapid development of technological advances may offer new opportunities to address alcohol harms or some of its many underlying causes.
The three teams were compromised of a range of different skills and expertise but all from outside the alcohol field. As such, the teams were given a day to research the issue and develop a proposal. Each team had a 'persona' case study representing a risky or problematic drinking group in the population, whilst several alcohol experts were on hand to provide advice.
Team one identified a significant gap between drinkers who identify as having a problem and those who access support, citing just one in ten as getting help. Pitching their solution, the team identify fictional persona Jim who 'searches online for an answer, but finds only generalised information and adverts for expensive supposed treatments', so he 'gives up and goes for a drink with his mates'.
In response, the team pitch 'Find Your Wagon', a website that will 'bridge the gap between [Jim] realising he has problem and finding his path to changing his drinking in a way that works for him, and in a language that he understands'. The home page would offer a range of videos to help find someone to identify with, and include three key areas of signposting, planning a day without alcohol, and access to services.
To promote the resource, the team proposed linking in with pubs, Dry January and other healthy living initiatives. On responding to a question about existing web resources, the team responded that signposting is actually 'pretty bad', and that 'apart from Drinkaware which has information, something to help Jim find the solution that works for his lifestyle' was a gap.
Team two sought to address the issue of middle aged professionals who tend not to realise they are at risk from their drinking. They suggested that many such drinkers who found their children growing up flying the nest replaced former family time with drinking time. In response, the team proposed a CSR mentoring scheme that would involve the older 'heavier' drinkers to be buddyed up with more abstemious younger employees. Judge and MP Dave Willetts raised the issue of whether the mentoring scheme would be upfront about its motives and some of the potential risks. The team though defended the proposed cloaked approach, though Chair Matthew Taylor pointed out 'without risks, there would be no innovation'.
Team three were challenged with addressing binge drinking, as personified by the fictional Kate, a 24 year old 'weekend warrior' who doesn't drink in the week but drinks heavily on weekends. The teams response was to identify that socially acceptable model for not drinking was missing. In response, a 'guerilla group' secretly funded Public Health England, and oddly also by the alcohol industry, would 'secretly promote the idea that sometimes its OK to go out and not drink'. The movement would be kicked off by a 'provocative stunt' of lobbying for the Government to make 'verbally abusing non-drinkers a hate crime', but essentially involve tax subsidies and funding for alcohol free events and festivals, alcohol-free initiatives and activities all supported by a social media campaign.
The winner is... [spoiler alert]... A new approach?
The judges announced group three as the winning team on the basis of being 'very ambitious and wanting to change the dial'. No funding or further action was mentioned in relation to taking any of the proposals forward, whilst the winning teams 'social norming' approach may be considered the hardest to implement, although projects such as Club Soda share the goal of empowering non drinking options through improving pubs and other activities.
The 'Find My Wagon' idea was also praised by the judges, with the team Tweeting it would Trade Mark it. The basis that readily accessing alcohol support beyond web information or apps may be seen as valid since awareness and access of alcohol services is still considered an issue given the proportion of dependent drinkers who actually receive NHS treatment.
Those involved in the alcohol field may not feel any of the proposals offer any highly innovative solutions to harmful drinking, although will no doubt recognise the many challenges and complexities in attempting to do so. Population level efforts to reduce alcohol probably are usually seen to require multi-component approaches, a conclusion of researchers exploring 'promising approaches' in 2012. Even major policy levers believed to be the most effective public health measures such as minimum pricing are still emphasised as being an important part of an effective strategy, rather than a single solution. However it may be seen that such projects, whilst perhaps not delivering on the headline promise, still contribute to the discussion and increasing acceptance that alcohol problems are a significant issue for too many people.
Listen to the programme here on iplayer, Tweets about the programme and PHE's evidence review of actions to address alcohol harms.
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