Website of the Department of Health

In Safe. Sensible. Social: next steps in the national alcohol strategy, the Department of Health committed to commission an independent review of the relationship between alcohol price, promotion and harm. The review is being conducted by the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield. This Phase 1 report is a comprehensive summary of international evidence.  Phase 2, reporting in the autumn of 2008, will provide detailed policy models.

In May 2007 the Government announced its voluntary agreement with the alcohol industry to introduce, by the end of 2008, labels on alcoholic drink containers showing unit and other health information, including advice to women on alcohol and pregnancy. This report, following an independent market survey conducted by CCFRA (Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association) in March 2008, shows the extent to which the elements of the labelling regime have been implemented.

The annual cost of alcohol misuse to the NHS in England was previously quantified by the Cabinet Office in 2003 at £1.4 billion - £1.7 billion per annum (in 2001 prices). This newer paper implements the latest data on unit costs and estimated usage across a broad range of cost categories - such as inpatient costs, emergency ambulance costs and GP consultation costs - to arrive at a more up-to-date estimate of £2.7 billion per annum (in 2006/7 prices). Increased hospital admissions and higher ONS estimates of 'higher risk' drinking prevalence are taken account of in the analysis.

Description
This document describes the change in the way that alcohol-related hospital admissions are calculated using alcohol attributable fractions explains the difference between the new and the old methodologies and summarises what the data tells us about alcohol-related harm and trends in increasing harm in England.

Cross reference
Hospital admissions for alcohol-related harm: technical information and definition for Vital Signs Indicator VSC26, National Indicator Set NI39 and Public Service Agreement Indicator 25.2 (DH/NWPHO: July '08)

Description
This document provides a description of the methodology for the indicator Hospital admissions for alcohol-related harm, which is included in three key indicator sets and performance management frameworks.

Cross reference
Hospital admissions for alcohol-related harm: understanding the dataset.(DH/NWPHO July 08)

The most up-to-date review of the relationships between alcohol consumption and ill-health and mortality is published by NWPHO, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. The report examines the major causes of ill-health and mortality due to alcohol and what proportion of cases in England are caused by alcohol. Figures presented include the latest data for levels of hospital admissions and number of deaths.

Home Office commissioned KPMG review of the alcohol industry’s social responsibility standards document.