Alcohol information

Do you like to drink alcohol at home? How sure are you that the amount you drink isnt damaging your health?  

NHS Nottinghamshire County is launching a project to investigate the issue - and you can help!

Nearly a quarter of all Nottinghamshire adults are known to be putting themselves at risk because of what they drink.

Could you be one of them?

Alcohol abuse leads to crime, domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies, road accidents, family break-up, ill-health and even death.

In Nottinghamshire, there are:

• 115,000 people drinking at potentially harmful levels
• More than 20 reported incidents a day of drink-related antisocial behaviour
• More than 200,000 working days lost each year
• A rising number of alcohol-related hospital admissions (up 33% over 5 years)

Were launching a major project to find the best ways of tackling the issue. You can help by taking part in our special confidential survey.

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A lot of us enjoy a drink to help us wind down but if were drinking every night, were putting our health at risk.

Alcohol causes harm you cant see. Click on the screen below to watch a short clip and if you find that one drink leads to another, call 0800 561 0040 for help cutting down.

 

Download [Word Document - 24 KB] a transcript of the film.

Lots of us enjoy a sociable drink to help us unwind or to accompany a meal. In fact, 90% of adults in the UK say they drink alcohol.

But alcohol can have a serious and harmful effect on our health. For example, if youre a man drinking more than two pints of strong lager a day, you could be three times more likely to have a stroke or get mouth cancer.

If youre a woman drinking two large glasses of wine or more a day, you could be 50% more likely to get breast cancer. Drinking causes harm we cant always see immediately. Click here to find out more about the health harms caused by alcohol.  http://www.drinking.nhs.uk/health-risk/

Use these quick links to get to information quickly

• What is a safe amount to drink?
• Alcohol facts
• Calculate how much you drink
• When alcohol becomes a serious problem
• Young people and alcohol
• Alcohol and the law
• Help and support - south of the county, north of the county, young people, Black and Asian communities, carers 

So whats a safe amount to drink?

Alcohol is measured in units and the Department of Health recommends that women should drink no more than 2-3 units per day and men should not drink more than 3-4 units per day.

• A large glass (250ml) of wine is around 3 units
• A pint of ordinary strength lager, bitter or cider (3.5 - 4.0%) is about 2 units
• A pint of strong lager, bitter or cider (5-9%) is around 3 units
• A bottle of alcopop is around 1.5 units.

Some alcohol facts

23% of hospital admissions are related to alcohol in some way

Alcohol affects 14,000 local children of drinking parents.

In 2008/09 over 100 Nottinghamshire people died as a result of alcohol misuse

Last year alcohol misuse cost the NHS in Nottinghamshire over £23 million

NHS Nottinghamshire County aims to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions by 13.5% by 2014

How much do you drink?

Calculate your units here http://www.drinking.nhs.uk/questions/unit-calculator/

Click here for some frequently asked questions about alcohol http://www.drinking.nhs.uk/questions/common-questions/

When alcohol becomes a serious problem

Alcohol touches the lives of most people and, for some, it can cause very serious problems. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to mental and physical problems.

http://www.drinking.nhs.uk/health-risk/mental-health/

http://www.drinking.nhs.uk/health-risk/existing-health-problems/

It can also be very difficult for you if you know someone who drinks a lot  like a family member or close friend.

If youre concerned about your drinking or how someone elses drinking is affecting you, there is free help and support available. Contact one of the confidential services listed in the help and support section below to talk to a trained and experienced alcohol worker.

Young People and Alcohol

The way teenagers' bodies handle drink depends on their physical size and stage of development. If you havent drunk very much alcohol before, you probably wont know how getting drunk will affect you. This means youre particularly vulnerable to accidents and injuries, as well as the danger of alcohol poisoning.

It's the law:

• Under 18s are not allowed to buy alcohol from an off licence or bar area of a pub
• Adults are not allowed to buy alcohol on behalf of under 18s
• Police have powers to confiscate alcohol from under 18s drinking in public spaces (e.g. in the street or in parks)
• It's illegal for children under five to drink alcohol

If you're under 18 and would like to find out more about how alcohol affects you, why not visit the following sites?

www.mindbodysoul.gov.uk
www.talktofrank.com

Help and support

The first place many people will visit is their GP. Your GP can offer you support and advice and refer you to a specialist alcohol service if this is more appropriate for your needs.

We have dedicated community alcohol workers providing 16 clinics across the county. At the moment you will need to be referred to one of these clinics by a health or social care professional.  

If you live in the South of the County

Alcohol Problems Advisory Service (APAS) - Provides apas Direct-no waiting, person to person advice and information service. Monday to Thursday 12.30pm - 6.30pm, Fridays 12.30pm to 4.30pm and Saturdays 9.00am to 12.30pm.

Alcoline - telephone us on 0845 762 6316 (Lo-call) then press 1 or (0115) 941 4747 and press 1. Available from 9.00am until 7.00pm, Monday through to Friday and Saturday 9.00am to 1.00pm answerphone at all other times.

Information, Advice and Counselling - for families and individuals with substance misuse problems. Services for women, delivered by women are available and services in other languages can be arranged.

36 Park Row, Nottingham, NG1 6GR
0115 941 4747
0845 762 6361 (lo-call)
www.apas.org.uk  - This website contains lots of information regarding services and support available in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire

Direct Access - Direct Access is a non prescribing confidential NHS alcohol service. Brief interventions are offered to harmful, hazardous and moderately dependent alcohol users in primary care clinics across Nottinghamshire county on a 1-1 basis.
Call 0800 561 0040 for South Nottinghamshire referrals.

Nottingham Alcohol and Drug Team (NADT) - John Storer Clinic, 115 The Ropewalk, Nottingham. NG1 5DU 0115 941 8964
Referral is through client or GP and supports:
Drugs and Alcohol, Do have beds for Detox, mostly drugs (methadone), Do community detox / prescribing, Alcohol liaison team  hospitals, Arrest Referrals  prisons / police stations, Outreach  prostitutes, satellites, PCT, Young People and midwife.

If you live in the North of the County

Direct Access - Direct Access is a non prescribing confidential NHS alcohol service. Brief interventions are offered to harmful, hazardous and moderately dependent alcohol users in primary care clinics across Nottinghamshire county on a 1-1 basis.
Call 01623 633510 for North Nottinghamshire referrals.

The Maltings - Community Alcohol Team
For adults wanting help with their alcohol problems, advice and information, community and In-patient detoxifications, brief interventions and relapse prevention
01623 620121

Support for our Black and Asian Community

Asian substance misuse support worker, based at the John Storer Clinic 115 The Ropewalk, Nottingham.
0115 941 8964

BAC-IN - 07980 149 8964

Young People

Face-it - 0800 587 7878

WAM (What About Me?) - Support for young people under 18 who have friends, siblings or parents who are substance misusers
CALL 01623 635326 or TEXT 07970 724 165
www.what-about-me.co.uk

Support for carers

Regents House - Advice and support for families, friends and carers concerned about someone else's drug use. Confidential telephone service, outreach support & family group support session.
11 Haydn Road, Sherwood. Nottingham NG5 2JX
0115 912 8035

Hettys - Support service for parents, carers and families of drug and alcohol users, one to one support and group meetings.
Daily telephone support 9am-7pm - 0800 085 0941 or text 07896 228 547