Why this is important to you?

• NICE issued guidance in June 2010 identifying alcohol-related harm as a major public health problem.

• Alcohol misuse is estimated to cost the NHS and tax payer £2.7bn a year and is the reason for an unknown number of sick days.

• By identifying those people at risk and offering advice and support you can improve health outcomes.

Who should take action?

•  All pharmacists, as you should routinely carry out alcohol screening as an integral part of practice. You are ideally placed to identify patients at risk of alcohol abuse.

• Those concerned about their own alcohol consumption or that of relatives, friends or colleagues.

• Those wishing to find out about tools used to assess alcohol consumption.

What this guidance will tell you?

• Facts and figures about alcohol consumption.

• Recommended limits for alcohol consumption for women and men.

• How you can help by providing identification and brief advice.

• Benefits to patients of assessments and screening.

• Where to go for more information.

View the quick reference guide »

View background information on alcohol »

Find out what pharmacy can do for alcohol use disorders »