Election time in Wales: time to talk about alcohol?

What sorts of issues matter to voters? That depends on which voters you ask, of course, but there are some clear trends. You won’t be surprised to know that opinion polls suggest that during 2020 and 2021 health has gone right to the top of many people’s list. Of course, no election is ever decided on a single issue. Plus, that one issue of “health” will mean all sorts of different things to different people. But the signs are that now may be a good time to talk about the nation’s health, and that includes talking about alcohol.

During the past year, just like people around the world, people in Wales have been experiencing extraordinary stresses. We’ve seen more than 5,000 Covid deaths across Wales, and at one point Merthyr Tydfil had the highest infection rate in the UK. Just as in other places, the pandemic has also brought social isolation, financial insecurity, and strained relationships. It’s not surprising that we’ve seen an increase in the use of alcohol as a coping mechanism, and a resultant increase in harm. Alcohol Change UK’s own research has found that 28% of people say they drank more during lockdown than before. Most worryingly, people who were already drinking heavily are the most likely to report drinking even more during the pandemic. There are already early indications of serious health consequences: provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics show that alcohol-specific deaths in England and Wales hit a new high during 2020.

As well as increasing alcohol harm, the pandemic has made it more difficult to access support for alcohol problems, with services and clients having to balance their desire to connect and engage with the imperative not to spread a deadly virus. Alcohol charities in Wales have led the way in meeting this challenge, rapidly and creatively adapting their ways of working. Much more help and advice are now offered remotely, and some agencies have been able to use technology to support people they were not reaching previously.

As well as increasing alcohol harm, the pandemic has made it more difficult to access support for alcohol problems, with services and clients having to balance their desire to connect and engage with the imperative not to spread a deadly virus. Alcohol charities in Wales have led the way in meeting this challenge, rapidly and creatively adapting their ways of working. Much more help and advice are now offered remotely, and some agencies have been able to use technology to support people they were not reaching previously.

It’s not just drinkers themselves who need support either; an alcohol problem can put a tremendous strain on family and friends. In their hard-hitting report Lockdown and beyond, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs highlighted just how difficult life has been for those who live with someone with a serious substance use issue – especially since the pandemic has put on pause many of the activities outside the home that offer some degree of escape in normal times.

It’s for all these reasons and more that Alcohol Change UK and five other charities – Adfam, Barod, CAIS, Kaleidoscope and WCADA – decided to join forces to talk to Senedd candidates about alcohol. Together, we’ve made three proposals for action during the next Senedd term from 2021 to 2026. We’re urging Wales’ elected representatives to:

• Make clear that reducing alcohol harm is a national priority, by renewing and resourcing the Substance Misuse Delivery Plan
• Ensure that support is available in all parts of Wales for people with alcohol problems, in ways they can access easily and safely, without shame or stigma
• Maintain the remote support for the families of drinkers that has developed during the lockdown, and work for a return to face-to-face support outside the home as soon it’s safe.

We’ve already contacted around 120 candidates from across the political spectrum to share our ideas, and after 6 May we’ll be looking to work with politicians from all parties to reduce alcohol harm and build a healthy recovery from the pandemic.