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Alcohol Harm Guidance
Added on
16/10/2008
Updated on
24/03/2011
Most of the sources below apply to England. Worthwhile information can also be found on the following pages:
Scottish and International guidance (including WHO global guidance)
Department of Health
Clinical Effectiveness - NICE Alcohol Guidelines
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence 
(NICE) has produced a set of harmful alcohol use guidelines.
- Alcohol use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking and alcohol dependence
The clinical guidance (CG 115) offers evidence-based advice on the diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking and alcohol dependence in adults and in young people. - Alcohol-use disorders: preventing the development of hazardous and harmful drinking
National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) evidence based public health guidance on the prevention and early identification of alcohol-use disorders among adults and adolescents. Recommendations... - Alcohol-Use Disorders Clinical Management Physical Conditions
This evidence based guideline from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) covers: The care of adults and young people (aged 10 years and older) who have any of the following... - Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and clinical management of alcohol-related physical complications
The following documents are available: Quick Reference Guide (16 pages) Full Guidelines - RCP (295 pages) Guidance for Parents and Carers
National Support Team Alcohol Harm Reduction
- Alcohol Harm Reduction National Support Team
Final report from the AHR NST commissioned by the DH, "Supporting Partnerships to Reduce Alcohol Harm:Key Findings, Recommendations and Case Studies from the Alcohol Harm Reduction National Support Te...
Reducing Alcohol Harm
- Healthy lives, healthy people: strategy for public health in England
This White Paper sets out the Government's long-term vision for the future of public health in England. Launched along with the paper is the summary of evidence. - Drug strategy 2010
Drug strategy released in December 2010 by the Home Office, including the strategy itself, the impact assessment and the equality screening document. This strategy sets out the Government's approach... - Signs for Improvement: Commissioning interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm
This guidance is designed to direct commissioners in areas where tackling alcohol harm is an identified priority, to the resources and guidance, which will assist them in commissioning interventions to... - Models of Care for Alcohol Misusers (MoCAM)
Models of care for alcohol misusers (MoCAM) provides best practice guidance for local health organisations and their partners in delivering a planned and integrated local treatment system for adult alcohol... - Review of the effectiveness of treatment for alcohol problems
This review covers the published international research literature on alcohol interventions and treatment. In describing the effectiveness of the various interventions and treatments available it will... - A summary of the Review of the Effectiveness of Treatment for Alcohol Problems
This summary document describes the chapter structure and gives a brief overview of the content of the extensive evidence-based expert review, the Review of the Effectiveness of Treatment for Alcohol... - The cost of alcohol harm to the NHS in England
This paper is specifically focused on the cost of alcohol harm to the NHS in England, which enters into a number of categories. For example, in addition to the cost of treating an individual's own illnesses...
Reviews of Alcohol Services
- All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse - The Future of Alcohol Treatment Services
The first report of The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Alcohol Misuse: The Future of Alcohol Treatment Services'. The review examines whether recent policy developments have made an impact... - Reducing Alcohol Harm: Health services in England for alcohol misuse
This report from The National Audit Office focuses on alcohol misuse and on health services, based on data gathered in early 2008. It concentrates on the role played by the NHS and its partners in delivering...
Hospital Admissions
- For National and Local alcohol data on hospital admissions visit the NWPHO website
Vital Signs
- The NHS in England Operating Framework and revisions 2010/11
- NICE Guidance mapped to Vital Signs 2010/11
Pricing Licensing and Taxation
The Home Office has responsibility for licensing.
"The coalition government's programme on alcohol includes commitments to:
- ban the sale of alcohol below cost price
- review alcohol taxation and pricing to ensure it tackles binge drinking without unfairly penalising responsible drinkers, pubs and important local industries
- overhaul the Licensing Act 2003 to give local authorities and the police much stronger powers to remove licences from, or refuse to grant licences to, any premises that are causing problems
- allow councils and the police to shut down permanently any shop or bar found persistently selling alcohol to children
- double the maximum fine for underage alcohol sales to £20,000
- permit local councils to charge more for late night licences to pay for additional policing" [Home Office]
- Review of alcohol taxation
"As part of the Coalition Agreement, the Government committed to reviewing alcohol taxation to tackle problem drinking without unfairly penalising responsible drinkers, pubs and important local industries.... - Rebalancing the Licensing Act
The Government's response to the 'Rebalancing the Licensing Act' consultation include the following proposals: overhauling the Licensing Act to give local authorities and the police much stronger powers...
Historical Guidance
- The Independent Review of the Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion
This evidence summary accompanies the full report of results of the first phase of an independent review of the effects of pricing and promotion on alcohol consumption and related harm in the UK, commissioned... - Independent Review of the Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion Part B
- Independent Review of The Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion Part A Systematic Reviews
- Alcohol industry social responsibility standards review: Volume 1: Review of the Social Responsibility Standards for the production and sale of Alcoholic Drinks Volume 2: This volume details information from the observation studies and interviews conducted Volume 3 Technical Annex
Findings of an independent review of the effectiveness of the alcoholic drinks industry's Social Responsibility Standards in contributing to a reduction in alcohol harm in England. Commissioned by Alcohol...