More about the alcohol team

The alcohol team was initially formed in response to a growing awareness at both national and local level, of the increasing problems that alcohol abuse is causing. High levels of drinking can lead to many health and social problems such as liver cirrhosis, cancers, heart disease, social exclusion, unemployment, homelessness, violence, disorder, health inequality, teenage pregnancy and accidents (Alcohol Concern 2003).

Here are some national facts and figures about the impact of alcohol:

• Alcohol dependence syndrome accounts for over 30,000 hospital admissions per year.
• 150,000 hospital admissions are a consequence of other alcohol related issues.
• Around 20,000 people die prematurely, approx one fifth are alcohol related and therefore preventable.
• Alcohol is implicated in up to 1,700 accidental deaths each year.
• Alcohol is associated with up to 1,000 suicides per year.
• The cost to the NHS of alcohol misuse is up to £1.7 billion per year.
• Approx one in four adults drink at a level which is hazardous to their health, consequences of this style of drinking include loss of memory and injuries.
• One in six people who attend A&E for treatment have alcohol related injuries of problems rising to 8 out of 10 at peak times.
• One study found 21% of all psychiatric admissions 8 out of 10 at peak times.

Locally we have a Wakefield District Alcohol Strategy designed to look at the problems of alcohol misuse and how partnership working across the district can help to reduce or resolve the identified problems.

The Alcohol team is leading some of this work including looking at the way we work with individuals to review care pathways and management, making sure the information we collect about our clients and services helps improve the way we work and exploring alternative forms of support that could be developed.