25 per cent drink above recommended limits

Figures have revealed that a whopping 25 per cent of the borough’s adult population (40,200 people) are estimated to drink above the recommended limits.

And, 9,000 of these people are drinking at levels which put them at a ‘high risk’ of damaging their health.

In a bid to drive that figure down, front line staff from across the council and NHS will encourage people to take an alcohol screening test.

NHS Heywood Middleton and Rochdale, working with Rochdale Council, has trained 70 frontline staff, including pharmacy staff and health visitors, on how to offer the test and provide advice.

Councillor Martin Burke, Cabinet Member for Internal and Environmental Services, said: "These are worrying figures, but the good news is that there's a lot we can do to help. Simply by answering a few questions about their level of alcohol consumption, we can suggest small changes that people can make to reduce their risk of harm from alcohol."

Michelle Loughlin, Consultant in Public Health at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, said: "We know that there are many people who don’t realise that the amount of alcohol that they drink can actually damage their health. Very often, just knowing this can encourage us to think about what we drink and reduce the amount of less risky levels.

“Local NHS and Council Services are well placed to support and advise people about safe limits as part of a healthier lifestyle. They are also able to advise people on where to get help if they find themselves experiencing problems with alcohol.”