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Alcoholism

Answer

In June 2007, we published a comprehensive strategy to tackle the harms from excessive alcohol consumption—Safe, Sensible, Social —the next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Our aims are:"to focus future action on reducing the types of harm that are of most concern to the public""to reduce the crime and ill health caused by alcohol""to increase the public's awareness of the risks associated with excessive consumption and how to get help"We undertook in Safe, Sensible, Social to commission an independent review of the relationship between alcohol price, promotion and harm. The second phase of this review will be published soon.From 22 July 2008 until 14 October 2008, the Government carried out a major consultation asking for the views of the public and key stakeholders on what action the Government should take in response to the rising levels of alcohol-related health harm and crime and disorder. The Government are considering the comments carefully.The Department put in place a vital signs indicator for the national health service from April 2008 to measure change in the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions—the first ever commitment to monitor how the NHS is tackling alcohol harm. The Indicator is expected to encourage the NHS to identify risky drinking earlier, this approach linked with advice and support from general practitioners or other healthcare staff has been shown to be the best way of reducing the kind of ‘everyday’ harmful drinking that leads to health harm. The indicator also provides a strong incentive for primary care trusts (PCTs) to improve treatment provision for people dependent on alcohol.A ‘Review of the effectiveness of treatment for alcohol problems’ was published in November 2006 by the National Treatment Agency (NTA) for the NHS. A copy has been placed in the Library. It provides comprehensive guidance on the relative effectiveness of the various alcohol treatment modalities. Guidance on developing effective local treatment systems has also been published. (Models of Care for Alcohol Misusers, DH/NTA 2005).Funding has been made available for a £6 million Alcohol Improvement Programme, which is providing support to PCTs where alcohol-related harm is highest. Among other actions:"An Alcohol Learning Centre will help to spread world class commissioning practice across the country""A National Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System has been established to report performance data on the provision of alcohol treatment services."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

482 c1370-1W; 234791

Session

2007-08

Related items

Deposited Paper DEP 07/1430
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Deposited papers
House of Commons

Subjects

Alcoholism

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk