Nottingham Recovery Network says alcohol-related harm is a crisis in the county
Leading health experts across the rest of the country have written to the Health Secretary calling for more action to tackle problem drinking
An alcohol support service in Nottingham says the scale of the issue here is a crisis.
It comes as a group of academics, medics and charities are urging ministers to be more ambitious in tackling problem drinking
Kieran Grant is the Alcohol Pathway Lead at Nottingham Recovery Network, he tells us the risks of drinking too much:
"The government guidelines are no more than 14 units a week, spaced out over the week, and having regular alcohol free days, and we know people drinking over that 14 units means you're putting yourself at an increased risk of developing physical illnesses. We know alcohol plays a part in over six different kinds of cancers and, 200 medical conditions. It affects every part of the body unfortunately, and we see in the hospitals, lots of presentations which probably could be related back to alcohol.
"I think it's been a crisis for many years now. Nottingham people, unfortunately, are more likely to die from alcohol related liver disease and end up in hospital because of alcohol related conditions. We've been working quite tirelessly, really, with all our partners and and public health and Commissioners to develop a harm reduction plan and we've finally got to the point now where we're releasing it and and putting it into practise.
"This is important because it will save lives. Far too many people are dying, and the figure's been going up and up and up over the last number of years. So things need to change, and we're hopeful that the positive things we're doing can make a difference."
Academics, medics and charities from around the country have urged ministers to take "ambitious" action to tackle the "scale of the current crisis".
The Government recently set out plans to improve the health of people in England over the next decade.
But in a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, shared with the PA news agency, experts said that the public "want and deserve" more action to tackle the harms.
"As experts from across alcohol policy, health and treatment, we urge you to revisit the current approach to tackling alcohol harm and commit to an ambitious, evidence-based strategy that reflects the scale of the current crisis," the letter states.
"The 10-Year Health Plan for England offered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shift gear and deliver genuine preventative action that would reverse the rising rates of alcohol-related hospitalisations and deaths we have seen in recent years.
"While the introduction of mandatory alcohol labelling and increased support for community-led schemes is welcome, these measures alone are not sufficient to address the scale and complexity of harm."
The letter has been signed by 34 health leaders from leading health organisations including the Alcohol Health Alliance; the Royal College of Physicians; the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
The 10 Year Health Plan for England, which was published last month, sets out plans to tackle harmful drinking through alcohol labelling, which will include health warning messages.
The document also sets out proposed changes to no and low (NoLo) alcohol products and pledged support for community-led schemes to reduce alcohol harm.
Before the 10 Year Plan was released there was speculation over whether the plan would include a ban on alcohol advertising.
It was also reported that ministers were exploring the possibility of minimum unit pricing (MUP), a policy which sets the lowest price an alcoholic drink can be sold for.
In the new letter, experts have called for a series of measures to tackle alcohol harms, including:
- A call for the introduction of MUP in England, as seen in Scotland and Wales.
- Giving local authorities the power to regulate hours of sale and online deliveries of alcohol.
- For advertising regulations for alcohol to be "aligned" with those for foods high in fat, salt and sugar.
- A change to alcohol tax, linking duties to inflation and ending "cider exceptionalism".
- More funding and support for local alcohol care teams.
The group stresses that "alcohol is not just the problem of a few".
It points out that every year alcohol contributes to more than a million hospital admissions.
And the experts said that across the UK, 30% of the adult population engage in "risky drinking", and almost one in 25 of all new cancers are estimated to be linked to alcohol.
The 10 Year Plan states: "While many people enjoy a drink in moderation, 4% of people drink as much as 30% of alcohol consumed each year."
But it adds that the estimated total "societal cost" of alcohol harm in England was £27.4 billion per year in 2021/22.
The authors conclude: "The public want and deserve action, and we stand ready to work with Government to deliver real progress.
"By taking meaningful and co-ordinated action now, the burden of alcohol harm can fall significantly within the term of this Government, with visible results for families, the NHS, crime, and the economy."
The Department of Health and Social Care said it will continue to consider the most effective interventions to reduce alcohol harms.
A spokesperson said: "As we shift from sickness to prevention through our 10-Year Health Plan, we will make it mandatory for alcoholic drinks to display health warnings and nutritional information.
"To improve drug and alcohol treatment services and recovery support in England, the Government has also provided an additional £310 million in 2025/26, on top of the public health grant."
If you would like support, Nottingham Recovery Network can be approached via their website.