Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

(asked on 17th July 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the NHS of treating alchohol-related conditions; and what steps he is taking to reduce that cost.


Answered by
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine
This question was answered on 24th July 2018

Data on National Health Service spending on treatment of alcohol related conditions is not collected centrally. However, the costs to the NHS in England associated with alcohol misuse are estimated at £3.5 billion each year.

The Government is committed to addressing the health harms relating to alcohol abuse. In 2016, the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) published low risk drinking guidelines to provide the public with the most up to date scientific information to help people make informed decisions about their own drinking. These are available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-advice-on-low-risk-drinking

The drinking guidelines are included in a range of public health messaging, including Public Health England’s (PHE’s) ‘One You’ campaigns and on the ‘NHS Choices’ website to encourage the public to drink within the CMOs’ guidelines.

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning effective alcohol prevention and treatment services based on an assessment of local need, and they are supported by PHE in this work by providing data, value for money tools, topical briefings, and advice on good practice to help local authorities meet the needs of their local population.

The Government is also developing a new alcohol strategy which will allow us to consider the changing landscape of alcohol use and to target vulnerable people who need support most with effective, evidence-based interventions.

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