Alcohol misuse report criticised

Leading North West health campaign group Our Life has criticised a new report into alcohol misuse by a committee of MPs for failing to address the role of alcohol retailers who continue to sell drinks in an irresponsible and aggressive manner.

In Rochdale alone there were 10,164 hospital stays for alcohol related harm, an increase from the 1,676 admissions in 2008, according to the Health Profile 2008/9. The North-West has one of the worst drinking levels in the country for people drinking at hazardous levels, with one person admitted to hospital every seven minutes for an alcohol-related condition.

Commenting on the report, ‘Reducing Alcohol Harm: Health Services in England for Alcohol Misuse’, published today by the cross-party Public Accounts Committee, Our Life chief executive Dr Alison Giles questioned the committee’s emphasis on the role of the Department of Heath and primary care trusts.

“MPs on the committee have missed the target with this report,” said Dr Giles. “They should really be questioning the aggressive and irresponsible promotion of alcohol, its low price and the wide availability of incentives to bulk buy, rather than placing the majority of the responsibility on primary care trusts to do more to tackle abuse."

Rochdale Accident and Emergency (A&E) have appointed Anne Livesey as the borough’s new alcohol practitioner to help reduce the pressure of alcohol related admissions.

“Alcohol can and will continue to play a part in the lives of the majority of the adult population in Rochdale with no real problems but a high proportion of people who regularly drink over recommended limits are classed as hazardous or harmful drinkers,” said Jenny Lovett from the Rochdale Drug and Alcohol Action Team.

“The NHS is having to react to an alcohol misuse problem that is being fuelled by the actions of alcohol retailers and it is they who should be subject to greater scrutiny,” said Dr Giles. The MPs’ report did call on the government to address the pricing of alcohol, which has become steadily cheaper in relation to income over the past few decades. Welcoming this, Dr Giles said: “In highlighting that alcohol has become much, much cheaper over recent years, the committee has recognised that there is a direct link between price and over-consumption.

Dr Giles added: “The government's proposed code of practice for alcohol retailers currently out for public consultation needs to be implemented as soon as possible, together with further measures to force the drinks industry to behave more responsibly in the way that they promote and sell alcohol.”