Reducing alcohol harm : health services in England for alcohol misuse : forty-seventh report of session 2008-09 : report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence
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Bibliographic Information
Reducing alcohol harm : health services in England for alcohol misuse : forty-seventh report of session 2008-09 : report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence
（HC, 925）
Stationery Office, 2009
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Note
At head of title: House of Commons, Public Accounts Committee
"Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 15 July 2009"
"Incorporating HC 1197-i, session 2007-08"
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Alcohol misuse is a significant and growing problem in England, with more than 10 million people now regularly drinking above the guidelines set by Government. Alcohol misuse places a considerable burden on the National Health Service (NHS), costing an estimated GBP 2.7 billion per year. Between midnight and 5am on weekend nights nearly three-quarters of all attendances at accident and emergency (A&E) departments are alcohol-related. In 2004, alcohol harm became subject to a national government strategy. Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are responsible for determining local health priorities and have control over the majority of NHS spending. PCTs are free to decide for themselves how much to spend on services to address alcohol harm. Many PCTs, however, do not know what they spend on such services and across England there is little correlation between need and expenditure. Where services are commissioned there is frequently a lack of performance monitoring and examination of whether what is provided represents value for money.
In 2008, the Department introduced a number of new measures designed to help address alcohol harm: providing extra funding for GPs to screen new patients; increasing alcohol specific training for doctors; and creating 20 pilot sites designed to improve specialist treatment services. The Department has, however, yet to demonstrate its ability to effectively influence local commissioners, the drinks industry, and people's drinking behaviour. The Department also needs to work more closely with the other government departments that are responsible for policies affecting alcohol consumption, such as taxation and licensing. Achieving this will be necessary if the Department is to reduce levels of alcohol harm and succeed against the PSA indicator.
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