Alcohol Change UK submission to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England on the Change NHS consultation.
Alcohol Change UK has provided a response to the Change NHS consultation, intended to provide views to DHSC and NHS England as they begin work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan for England. In our response, we highlighted that action on alcohol harm is essential to delivering:
- An NHS that is there when people need it
- Fewer lives lost to the biggest killers: cardiovascular disease, suicide, and cancer
- A fairer Britain where everyone lives well for longer
The 10-Year Health Plan must include action on alcohol harm at all levels of prevention:
- Primary: the three most effective and cost-effective primary prevention policies are to reduce the availability, affordability, and marketing of alcohol. This should include clear targets as well as data monitoring to allow Ministers and other decision-makers to show and communicate progress in the short, medium, and long term.
- Secondary: measures led by the NHS, including introducing high-quality Alcohol Care Teams in all hospitals; the promotion of alcohol awareness training for staff; and ensuring that all parts of the NHS help reduce harm.
- Tertiary: treatment services, in the community and NHS, should be well-funded and culturally inclusive.
We have also developed a list of policy recommendations to help government departments improve primary prevention, as well as recommendations the NHS itself can implement, to help reduce waiting lists and times, reduce pressure on primary care and emergency care, improve healthy life expectancy, and reduce economic inactivity.