Agenda item

·         Video - The Great British Booze Problem

·         Exeter Profile Health Data – Kirsty Hill

·         Drink Wise Age Well – Clare Pawley

·         Future Initiatives for the Board to support – Kirsty Hill

o   One You – Public Health England

o   Alcohol Concern Blue Light Project

The following presentations were made, the highlights set out beneath:-

·         Facts on alcohol use in Exeter -  Kirsty Hill;

•       whilst people are drinking more than in previous decades, levels have started to fall since 2007;

•       alcohol use is falling quickest in younger people

•       whilst binge drinking is a concern, chronic health conditions in older people caused by prolonged excessive drinking is also a concern

•       whilst regular alcohol use is typically lower in communities with higher levels of deprivation, admissions and death rates are highest.

·         Drink Wise Age Well - Clare Pawley;

Aims

•       better policy and practice to prevent alcohol dependency in later life

•       improved health and well being for people age 50 and over who are at risk of developing alcohol dependency;

•       the delivery of more effective services to prevent alcohol dependency amongst the ageing population

Key Messages

•       hidden population of over 50’s at risk of harm from drinking and high level of stigma and shame associated with alcohol use in the over 50s;

•       the five most frequently reported reasons for those who drink more now than in the past were age-related.

Four main work streams

•       free alcohol training in Devon for individuals, groups and front line workers;

•       direct engagement and support team who visit people 1-1 to reduce drinking;

•       building resilience including activities and events – Think Wise Age Well; and

•       prevention and campaigning events.

·         Video - The Great British Booze Problem

and the following reports presented:-

·         Public Health England’s Local Alcohol Profile for Exeter;

·         Alcohol Concern Blue Light Project; and

·         Emergency Exits – achieving the right balance between support and enforcement to reduce street-based anti-social behaviour in Exeter.

The Chair invited thoughts and suggestions on any action the Board could take in respect of alcohol harm, given that reducing alcohol misuse was one of its main themes. The following issues were raised in the debate:-

·         surprise at the level of drinking in the retired but pleasing to see reduction in young people’s consumption;

·         culture change was key, with education one way of challenging behaviour. The difficulty in addressing a deeply rooted problem was recognised with hypocrisy apparent in many areas such as, whilst recognising the dangers of alcohol, its use as a social lubricant remained prevalent;

·         increase in drink driving in over 50’s;

·         little understanding of unit limits and although 14 units a week was the recent recommended guideline the advice of the World Health Organisation was that there was no safe limit;

·         drink culture embedded in certain work places and many under record drinking levels when quizzed;

·         little opportunity for social interaction and events on Friday and Saturday nights without the presence of alcohol, an issue also raised in recent consultation;

·         use of licensing tools to, for example, encourage licensed establishments to offer greater opportunities to drink non-alcohol beverages and tea/coffee. In this respect the Breweries would need to be targeted;

·         pressure groups such as the Portman Group and a fledgling Exeter organisation called Club Soda were keen to promote alcohol free events and the City’s licensed establishments and the Licensed Victuallers Association should be encouraged to engage;

·         Artigiano offer non-alcoholic drinks in tandem with alcohol and this approach together with extending the City’s café culture should be further encouraged;

·         Exeter already undertaking encouraging measures such as Best Bar None;

·         Alcohol Related Injuries Database - Accident and Emergency Hospital attendance data which records details of last location of drink where the attendance is alcohol related - Available for Devon via the Community Safety Partnership;

·         a campaign to discourage shops from selling high percentage alcohol and promoting cheap alcohol could be considered. A similar approach was looked at by Torridge District Council; and

·         campaigns in local schools and work with the University should be extended to Exeter College.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        the Board endorse the initiatives discussed at this meeting as part of its aim of reducing alcohol misuse; and

(2)        feedback be provided at the next Board meeting on the Eat Well Drink Well event to be held on Cathedral Green on 14 May organised by Drin Wise Age Well.