Tag: alcohol

Scottish charity for families affected by alcohol and drug use wins top national health award

National charity Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs has won a major UK award for its work supporting anyone concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland.

Their innovative ‘click-and-deliver’ service, providing the drug naloxone, which can reverse an opioid-related overdose, was just one of its services praised by the award judges.

Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, Scottish Families was chosen from more than 350 charities across the UK as one of the 10 winners of the 2022 GSK IMPACT Awards.

Now in their 25th year, the awards are designed to recognise the outstanding work of small and medium-sized charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK. 

This year winners will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by leading health and care charity The King’s Fund. 

Substance use remains a major issue in Scotland, with 2,529 people losing their lives to alcohol and drugs in 2020. The number of drug-related deaths was 5 per cent more than in 2019 and 2020 saw the highest increase of alcohol-specific deaths registered since 2008.

Scottish Families offers support to people whose loved ones are living with an alcohol or drug issue. The charity works across Scotland to increase awareness of the impact drug and alcohol use has on family members, who can experience psychological distress, mental and physical ill health, domestic violence, and financial issues.

Their work is not limited to close family, Scottish Families also offers support to anyone directly affected by the harm caused by an individual’s alcohol or drug use.

Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity has continued to provide a range of services, including an advice helpline, one-to-one bereavement support, and local family services. 

From April 2020 to March 2021 Scottish Families supported almost 2,000 family members across its services, from all 32 council areas in Scotland. This included more than 2,350 helpline contacts, a 66 per cent increase on the previous year.

The award judges praised Scottish Families for its range of flexible support service for families, as well as its ability to influence and shape alcohol and drug policy. This includes the innovative ‘click-and-deliver’ service, which provides potentially life-saving naloxone free of charge to any adult in Scotland who may come across an opioid-related overdose.

Naloxone reverses opioid overdose, providing vital time to call an ambulance. Training, information and helpline support is provided with the kits.

The judging panel were also impressed by Scottish Families’ work to reach those most in need. Its ‘Holding On’ service offers support where there are concerns about the risk of drug-related death and the charity is a member of the LGBTQI Substance Use Partnership. 

Scottish Families also launched a ‘Family Support Is For Men Too’ initiative and runs the Routes programme for young people aged 12–26 years old affected by someone else’s alcohol and drug use.

Katie Pinnock, Director of UK Charitable Partnerships at GSK, said: “The devastating impact of alcohol or drug use on someone’s family and loved ones is often overlooked.

“Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs works to improve the visibility of families and give a voice to their experiences. It is a small charity which works effectively to build strong partnerships at local and national levels to influence strategic system change. 

“We were particularly impressed by Scottish Families’ engagement at government level, while its ‘click-and-deliver’ service to make the life-saving drug naloxone more easily available during the pandemic stood out as a major innovation.”

The 2022 GSK IMPACT Award recognises Scottish Families’ significant impact on improving the wellbeing and mental health of families across Scotland affected by alcohol and drug use.

Developing leaders in the charity sector is a key aim of the GSK IMPACT Awards programme and all winners are invited to build on their success and take part in a tailored leadership development programme run by The King’s Fund.

Scottish Families will also be invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network, a UK-wide network of more than 110 previous award winners who work together to develop leaders, find new ways of working and provide mutual support.  

Commenting on the award, Justina Murray, Chief Executive of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, said: “We are overwhelmed and so delighted to have won this UK award for outstanding work in the field of health and wellbeing.

“Innovation, flexibility and assertive outreach are everyday ways of working in the third sector, so being recognised for this means a huge amount to us and to the families we support.

“We know that most families harmed by substance use remain hidden from sight and are unsupported. We have so much more to do to reach every family, and to make sure they are supported, recognised and included.

“The funding and development programme which are part of this award will help us to do this. Families affected by alcohol and drugs are always at the margins, they are overlooked and ignored, so achieving this recognition at UK level shows that families really do matter, and that change will come.”

For more information on Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, visit: www.sfad.org.uk

Police: It’ll Cost You

Are you aware of the consequences of proxy purchasing?

Underage drinking plays a huge part in antisocial behaviour, crime and violence in local communities. One of the ways young people get their hands on alcohol is to ask an adult to buy it for them. This is called proxy purchasing – and it’s a criminal offence.

Buy alcohol for someone under 18 and you could face a fine of up to £5,000 or up to 3 months in prison. Or both.

For more information visit ➡️itwillcostyou.com

If you’re the adult being asked to buy alcohol for someone under 18:

Buying alcohol for anyone under the age of 18 is a criminal offence.

  • Depending on the circumstances, if you’re caught you could be fined up to £5,000.
  • You could also face a prison sentence of up to three months and a criminal record.

Alcohol-related anti social behaviour and violence affects everyone. It might be someone you know who suffers.

If you’re under 18 and asking an adult to buy alcohol for you:

  • You’ll lose the money you’ve handed over, and the alcohol purchased on your behalf will be confiscated.
  • If you are under 16 your parents or guardians will be notified.
  • If it’s an older brother, sister or mate, you’ve asked, then you’re putting them on the spot – they will be the ones facing a fine and a criminal record.
  • Alcohol can have a significant impact on your health, and put you in vulnerable or dangerous situations.

Visit www.scotland.police.uk for advice, resources and information.

Cross-border purchasing unlikely to affect alcohol consumption

A study published yesterday by Public Health Scotland (PHS) examined the extent to which people might be travelling outside Scotland to purchase alcohol at a lower price, since the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland. 

 The findings indicate that minimal cross-border purchasing occurs, and this is unlikely to be happening on a scale that would significantly affect alcohol consumption at a population level or impact the intended outcomes and aims of MUP.

Interviews with retailers indicated that households in close proximity to the border made most use of cross-border purchasing, reflecting established shopping habits. None of the retailers had knowledge of people from Scotland appearing to travel to England to buy large quantities of alcohol. Analysis shows that substantial bulk purchasing would be needed for individuals to make significant savings whether purchasing in-person or online, once travel and delivery costs are taken into account.

The research also shows that licensing near the border did not display a shift from Scotland to England following the introduction of MUP legislation. Analysis of off-trade alcohol sales data in the combined areas of North East and North West England in the 12 months following implementation of MUP showed a small increase (1.14%).

When a panel of over 1,000 Scottish adults was asked whether they have travelled to another part of the UK for the sole purpose of buying alcohol only 3% responded that they had done so.

Helen Chung Patterson, Public Health Intelligence Adviser at Public Health Scotland said: “The research published today shows that while cross-border purchasing does happen, the extent is small relative to the purchasing behaviours of Scotland’s population as a whole. 

“A key strength of this report is that it enables us to build up a picture of cross-border alcohol-purchasing behaviours from several perspectives. We have examined data on retail sales and alcohol licencing near the border, drawn on qualitative interviews with retailers, gathered customer survey data and explored the factors affecting in-person and online cross-border purchases. When several different methods produce broadly similar results, as is the case with the report published today, this increases confidence in the findings.”

Further evidence may arise on cross-border purchasing at a later date (both from within and out-with Public Health Scotland’s portfolio on MUP evaluation), for example as part of the study on Drinking at Harmful Levels, which is due to be published by PHS later this year.

Alcohol sales and harm in Scotland during the COVID pandemic

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has published an analysis of the latest available data on alcohol sales and harms in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. This provides a picture of how the pandemic and its related restrictions may have impacted on alcohol sales, alcohol-related hospital stays and alcohol-specific deaths.

Presenting data on alcohol sales up to 8 May 2021, and previously published data on hospital stays up to 31 March 2021 and deaths up to 31 December 2020, the report shows that while rates of hospital stay related to alcohol fell, rates of alcohol-specific death increased. This was driven by an increase in deaths in men and those aged 45 to 64 years, groups that experienced the highest rates of deaths caused by alcohol prior to the pandemic.

This is despite total alcohol sales (litres of pure alcohol per adult) being 9% lower in 2020 than the 2017-19 annual average, and 16% lower in 2021 (January–May) than the average for January–May 2017-19. While sales of alcohol through supermarkets and shops (off-trade) increased during the pandemic, sales through pubs, clubs and restaurants (on-trade) decreased substantially due to the restrictions imposed because of the pandemic. 

This, combined with other evidence of how alcohol consumption may have changed during the pandemic, suggests that drinking at hazardous and harmful levels may have increased for some groups who potentially experienced higher rates of mortality as a consequence.

Lucie Giles, Public Health Intelligence Principal at Public Health Scotland said: “The data show that the number of people accessing hospital with an alcohol-related diagnosis fell during the pandemic, particularly at times when restrictions were at their most stringent.

“We saw the greatest reductions amongst men and those aged 45 years and over and it was in these same groups that we saw increases in deaths caused by alcohol. This was despite average alcohol consumption for the population falling, a change driven by a reduction in sales of alcohol through pubs and clubs.

“Despite the reduction in sales overall the data indicate that population level consumption of alcohol was still above recommended levels. Between March 2020 and May 2021, 17 units (171 ml) of pure alcohol have been sold per adult each week on average, 16 (162 ml) of which have been from off-trade premises. This represents enough alcohol to put every adult in Scotland over the Chief Medical Officer’s low-risk weekly drinking guideline of 14 units.

“Taken together, the evidence points to increased drinking amongst some groups, coupled with a reduction in the number of people accessing hospital treatment and greater rates of death caused by alcohol. Tackling alcohol consumption and harms, particularly among high-risk groups, should be a critical objective of any COVID-19 recovery plans.”

Matt Lambert, CEO of the Portman Group – the alcohol social responsibility body and marketing regulator – said: “Public Health Scotland’s latest data reaffirms a body of research that shows overall alcohol consumption fell during 2020.

“Yet in contrast alcohol-related deaths tragically increased which may in part be due to the heaviest drinkers finding it harder to access support. There is a duty of care to now focus on targeted measures for the minority, those who were already drinking at the heaviest and most harmful rates, who then increased their drinking as the impact of the pandemic compounded existing problems.  

“Finally, we would be interested to understand why this report focuses on alcohol sales while downplaying the Scottish Government’s own studies on actual alcohol consumption that shows a persistent fall in drinking rates for over a decade.

“With the majority of people in Scotland drinking an average of 12.1 units a week, below the CMO low risk guidelines of 14 units per week, it is important to view drinking rates accurately and address this within policy making.”

Alcohol sales and harm in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic

Read the report: Alcohol sales and harm in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic

Healthy Heart Tip: Dry January

This month is Dry January, which sees many people across the UK take on the challenge of curbing their drinking habits for a whole month.

We know that drinking too much alcohol can lead to increased blood pressure, some types of cancer and weight gain. If you think you could benefit from taking on this challenge or would like to take steps to reduce your alcohol intake, try out some of the below tips this month to get you started!

Know Your Numbers

Knowing how much alcohol you are consuming can be the first step towards making a change. It is recommended to drink less than 14 units of alcohol per week, which is equivalent to approximately seven medium glasses of wine, or six pints of regular strength beer.

You can calculate your exact intake at www.drinkaware.co.uk

Find Alternatives

Most of the time we can satisfy a craving with an alternative option. Try buying some alcohol-free beer or soft drinks to have when you’re next craving an alcoholic drink.

Replace Habits

It can be useful to distract yourself with another activity at the time when you would usually drink. Try going for a short walk or organise to speak with a friend at a time when you would usually drink alcohol.

Be Smart

We can still enjoy alcohol whilst reducing our overall consumption. Some great tactics you can use to reduce your intake include:

  • having a soft drink for every other drink
  • adding one or more alcohol-free days to your week
  • opting for lower strength drinks such as a single spirit mixer instead of a glass of wine, which has over half of the units and calories when you opt for a low-calorie mixer!

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Signed the pledge? The driest January the UK has ever seen

New data shows the UK’s driest cities

  • The Driest January the UK has ever seen, new data shows the UK’s driest cities
  • London Is set to be the driest city this January with an incredible 1,072,154 participants prepared to give up alcohol for the entire month.
  • The UK wants to go dry, new data has shown a 22% increase of people searching to go dry from the previous year
  • It is estimated up to six million people will attempt dry January this year which is 12.4% of the population, with the average household saving £98.74 if successful.

The UK is set for its driest January ever as new research reveals the average household will save £100 from not buying alcohol.

A study by kitchen experts Maxima Kitchen Equipment used ONS and Google data to look at which of our cities will be the ‘driest’ this January.

With 24% of the nation already considering themselves to be tee-total, new data shows that one in five of the UK population will attempt dry January and one in four will make an active attempt to cut down their alcohol consumption within the month, as Brits become increasingly health conscious.

London comes in first place with 1,072,154 people expected to go dry for the month – the highest number of participants in the whole of the UK.

The average bottle of wine from a supermarket in the capital is £8 and the average beer price is £1.90. Studies indicate that the average Brit consumes 18 units of alcohol per week, which equates to two bottles of wine, or six beers. Therefore if successful, the participants would save a combined total of £59,062,623, as well as each household saving £109 on average.

In second place is Leeds with an estimated total of 225,912 people set to give up alcohol this month. The city if successful will save an astonishing £12,226,724, based on an average bottle of wine from a supermarket costing £6.90 and an average beer price of £2.10. Each individual household will have saved on average £92.52 by the end of the month.

Birmingham takes third place with 128,521 participants going dry this January. The study found the city’s average price for a beer in the supermarket was £1.60 and the average bottle of wine was £6.75. This means an average household would save £94.84 and the city will save all together an incredible £5,960,529.

Reading came in 25th place with a total of 27,418 participants wanting to go dry. The average wine price came in at £7.12 and the average beer at £2.00. This means the city is set to save £1,442,943 from one month of not drinking.

Furthermore, each participating household would save £105 this month upon completion.

Top Ten Driest UK Cities

Estimated number of people that will attempt dry January

1 London 1,072,154.00

2 Leeds 225,912.00 

3 Birmingham 128,521.00 

4 Sheffield 87,394.00 

5 Glasgow  71,686.00 

6 Poole 61,119.00 

7 Edinburgh 59,118.00 

8 Liverpool 55,693.00 

9 Bristol 55,693.00 

10 Manchester 51,408.00 

A spokesperson for Maxima Kitchen Equipment said: “Lots of people spend months looking forward to Christmas, and the chance to indulge a little more than usual, in both food and drink, it’s a key part of the excitement.

“However, in January it’s becoming more and more popular to try and start the year with a health-conscious mindset whether it be going dry for the month or just trying to drink a little bit less than usual.”

The research was carried out by Maxima Kitchen Equipment, which has more than 40 years of experience in the supply and maintenance of professional kitchen equipment.

Alcohol policy measures could reduce ambulance callouts, study finds

New alcohol policy measures should be considered to reduce drink-related ambulance callouts, according to researchers studying data from Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University of Stirling-led team made the recommendation after their study found that ambulance callouts related to drinking in licensed premises fell significantly during the first lockdown – but were replaced relatively quickly by alcohol-related callouts to homes.

Professor Niamh Fitzgerald, Director of the Institute for Social Marketing and Health at Stirling, led the study and believes its findings present policymakers with an opportunity to reflect on how to sustain the positive outcomes of lockdown for the NHS and emergency services – including a reduction in what paramedics described as “mass public intoxication” over weekends – but also tackling other issues, such as the increase in problems caused by drinking at home.

Niamh Fitzgerald

Professor Fitzgerald said: “During the pandemic, both in the UK and abroad, licensed premises – including bars, restaurants and nightclubs – faced significant restrictions, including closures and curfews, which helped to reduce spread of the virus. However, we know that these restrictions also led to many people drinking more alcohol at home.

“By looking at data from the frontline of the NHS – the Scottish Ambulance Service – and adjusting for the fact that ambulance callouts fell during this period for other reasons, our study shows that there were disproportionately large short-term reductions in alcohol-related callouts in April and May 2020, when licensed premises were closed, compared to the previous year.

“This was a situation that paramedics described as a ‘welcome break’ from the hostile, alcohol-fuelled scenes experienced in towns and cities on weekend nights pre-pandemic.

“However, we also identified public health risks caused by increased home drinking during this period – with those night-time callouts quickly replaced by alcohol-related ambulance callouts on all days of the week, likely to be linked to home drinking.

“For example, in June 2020, when premises were still closed and weekend night-time callouts for alcohol incidents were still lower, the proportion of alcohol-related callouts had almost returned to pre-pandemic levels. Overall, there were 18,832 alcohol-related callouts at the height of the pandemic, in April to June 2020 – 16 percent of all callouts.

“Our findings suggest that policymakers here in Scotland, but also around the UK and abroad, need to consider how to build upon the lessons learned during the pandemic. As the night-time economy recovers, how can we avoid a return to pre-pandemic levels of alcohol-related callouts arising from the night-time economy, but also reduce callouts and harm from home drinking?”

Reduction in callouts

The research team – involving academics from ISMH and the University of Glasgow – analysed interviews with licensing stakeholders, to understand how COVID-19 has affected licensing and alcohol-related harms; explored the experiences of ambulance clinicians in further interviews; and conducted descriptive and time series analyses of alcohol-related ambulance callouts in Scotland, before and during the first lockdown.

Overall ambulance callouts for all causes between March and June 2020 – when lockdown was in place – decreased in comparison to the previous year. However, alcohol-related callouts fell much more sharply – with a 23% reduction in April 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. The drop was even more stark at weekends – down 31.8% – and at weekend night-times, down 48.9%.

After April, despite licensed premises remaining closed, the proportion of alcohol-related callouts gradually started to return to pre-lockdown levels. However, the resurgence in alcohol-related callouts was generated by calls spread throughout the week rather than concentrated at weekends, which still experienced substantially lower callouts in June 2020 than the previous year.

 “Massive drop” in alcohol related incidents

Ambulance clinicians reported that the number of late-night callouts relating to alcohol “plummeted” when premises closed completely or operated under a curfew. However, there were perceived increases in domestic callouts and concerns raised about home drinking.

One paramedic said that during this time there had been “nowhere near the same amount of public intoxication or mass intoxication… there’s been much less in the way of assaults that involve alcohol, unconscious people outside that involve alcohol, falls that involve alcohol. All these things we’ve noticed a massive drop in.”

Another said: “It’s so nice to go to work on a Friday night knowing that you don’t have to go into pubs and clubs… it’s made a huge difference”

Several reported that the reduction in alcohol-related calls meant that they were spending more time on other calls.

Dr Jim Ward, Medical Director at the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), said: “We will always respond to people in need regardless of cause, location, or time.

“However, heavy drinking both at home and when on nights out, as well as through chronic alcohol problems, not only increases the risk of accidents but can also lead to a rise in assaults, including those against ambulance staff.

“By drinking in a way that avoids harm, the public can support our hard working staff and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on our service and A&E departments at an extremely busy time.”

Policy implications

Professor Fitzgerald said: “The views expressed by paramedics are powerful and give pause for thought about whether business recovery post-COVID has to mean a return to the ‘mass intoxication’ described.

“This is surely an opportunity for politicians and clinicians to show leadership in pushing for better alcohol policies that protect the NHS and frontline services. At a time when policymakers want to support the hospitality sector, but also wish to protect health services, there is an opportunity to put in place win-win policies that can do both.”

The research team suggest that one such policy could be to increase the minimum unit price of shop-purchased alcohol to reduce consumption within homes without affecting prices in bars. Other possibilities discussed are restrictions on online sales and licensing changes.

The research teams are analysing separately if and how the 50p minimum unit price, introduced in Scotland in 2018, has impacted alcohol-related ambulance callouts, as well as exploring expert and stakeholder views on this and other ‘win-win’ policies.

The researchers used data from the ‘Evaluating the impact of alcohol licensing in England and Scotland (ExILEnS)’ project, funded by the National Institute for Health Research’s Public Health Research Programme; and the ‘Impact of minimum pricing for alcohol on ambulance callouts in Scotland (IMPAACT)’ and ‘Lockdown and Licensed Premises’ studies, both funded by the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office.

The new paper, Lockdown and Licensed Premises: COVID-19 Lessons for Alcohol Policy, is published in Drug and Alcohol Review.

Police: Don’t Ask For It campaign

Licensing Officers were joined by the Convener of the Licensing Board @CllrNormanWork visiting licensed premises in Clermiston & South Queensferry to promote Police Scotland’s #DontAskForIt campaign yesterday.

It is a criminal offence to buy alcohol for someone under 18. You could receive a £5000 fine or upto 3 months in prison.

More than a quarter of Scottish families are concerned about substance use

More than a quarter of residents living in Scotland are concerned about a loved one’s drug and alcohol use during the pandemic, a new survey has uncovered 

Drug and alcohol use has impacted the lives of millions of people living in the UK. In England and Wales, it’s estimated that 3.2 million people had taken drugs in the last year alone. 

The new Drug and Alcohol Survey from Delamere, has uncovered the regions and cities that are most concerned about a loved one’s drug or alcohol use. 

The UK Drug and Alcohol Use Survey 2021

According to the survey data, Scotland was the location with the sixth-highest concern for drug and substance abuse. 26% of the region reported being concerned about a friend or family member’s drinking or drug use during the pandemic – that’s more than 1 in 4 people! 

The biggest worry was alcohol, with one in seven Brits saying that in the last year they have been concerned with a loved one’s drinking. Men are almost three times (32%) more likely to be worried about how drinking or substance abuse is affecting their lives, compared to women where 24% reported feeling concerned.

  • Over a third of people in the UK (36%) consumed drugs over the last 12 months 
  • 22% of adults in Britain increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic 
  • Prescription drug misuse is on the rise, with 1 in 10 overusing prescribed medication
  • Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the UK, with a 7% usage in the last year 
  • Brighton was the drug hotspot of the UK, with the highest rate for three drugs 

England and Wales have seen a record number of drug-related deaths during the pandemic in 2020, a total number of 4,561 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered. The new Drug and Alcohol Survey from Delamere, the private rehab clinic, has uncovered the prevalence of drug and alcohol misuse in the UK in a post-pandemic world. 

The addiction experts surveyed 2,000 adults living in the UK on their alcohol and drug consumption over the last 12 months to determine the impact of the pandemic on usage. 

Despite pubs, bars being closed for around 31 weeks in 2020, the pandemic brought an increase to the nation’s drinking habits. The survey found that one in four (22%) of adults had increased their alcohol consumption in the last year. 

Despite the nation living under lockdown restrictions, the findings uncovered that 49% of UK residents had consumed alcohol in the last twelve months alone and 36% had taken drugs. 

It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic and resulting shutdown of social interaction last year caused upheaval in the mental wellbeing of people across the UK. Cannabis has become a feature in many people’s lives during the lockdown, with 7% of the country using it in the last year, making it the most commonly used drug in the UK. 

Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, misuse is becoming a health concern for specialists in the United Kingdom. The survey discovered that one in ten UK residents have overused prescription medication outside of prescriptions. 

A fifth of UK respondents had purchased prescription drugs rather than obtaining them via a GP, with 7% saying they had ordered the medication through the dark web. The biggest prescription problem was found in Wales, London, West Midlands and Edinburgh. 

Experts have warned the use of illegal drugs is rising at an alarming rate across the UK, with some of the boroughs most populated areas among the worst affected areas. Brighton was the drug use hotspot in the South, with the highest rate of use for Cocaine, Ketamine and MDMA use. One in five Brighton residents reported having used cocaine, while one in ten reported using MDMA. 

The use of painkillers such as Codeine and Tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription. 

Which cities are using drugs the most? 

CityCities that use each drug the mostResidents who have used the drug 
BelfastPainkillers3 in 10
LiverpoolCannabisOver 3 in 10
LiverpoolEcstasy1 in 6
Liverpool“Legal” Highs1 in 10
CardiffPrescription Drugs1 in 6
BrightonKetamine1 in 14
BrightonMDMA1 in 10
BrightonCocaine1 in 5
SheffieldOver the Counter MedicationOver 1 in 6
SheffieldHeroin1 in 20

The use of painkillers such as Codeine and Tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription. 

Children exposed to alcohol in womb need dedicated support

Thousands of children and young people living with a brain condition caused by exposure to alcohol while in the womb are in desperate need of dedicated and joined up support.

The charity Adoption UK is calling for each nation of the UK to provide a government funded Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in every nation of the UK.

Caused by the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy, FASD is the most known cause of neurodevelopmental disability and birth defects in the UK – but it often goes unrecognised. 

FASD could affect up to 5% of the population but it is estimated a third* of adopted children have the condition. Alcohol misuse is one of the main reasons children are taken into care but many adopted children with FASD will have come from families where there was drinking during pregnancy, but not to access, and where alcohol was not the main reason for them entering care.

Adoption UK’s 2020 Adoption Barometer report revealed one-in-four adopted children are either diagnosed with, or suspected to have, FASD. More than half of families polled had waited two years or longer for a diagnosis, and more than three-quarters felt healthcare professionals lacked basic knowledge about the condition, even though FASD is more common than autism.

Scotland leads the way in the UK, in terms of diagnosis, support, and awareness of FASD. The creation of the FASD Hub Scotland in 2019, funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Adoption UK, quickly established itself as a go-to resource for parents and carers seeking to gain support, information, signposting, training, and to navigate their way through the diagnosis process.

The SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) Guidelines (2019) means children and young people in Scotland now have a route to diagnosis. The guidelines have since been adopted in England where they are awaiting release as the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) quality standards for FASD.

Ruth Cliff has been unable to get an FASD assessment for her son, who she adopted 16 years ago, despite knowing his birth mother used alcohol throughout her pregnancy.

Ruth, who lives in England, said: “We were referred to a paediatrician who told me they didn’t have the expertise to assess for FASD and there was no one in our area who could do it either. I asked my local authority to fund an assessment via the Adoption Support Fund, but this was turned down.

“Finding the right support for my son has completely taken over my life, so to have a specialist one-stop-shop like the hub in Scotland, where people truly understand FASD, would be life-changing.”

Adoption UK is marking International FASD Awareness Day, by calling on Stormont, the Welsh Government and Westminster to replicate the success of the FASD Hub Scotland in each nation. 

The charity is also calling on the Scottish Government to commit to the long-term funding of the FASD Hub Scotland.

Sue Armstrong Brown, Adoption UK’s CEO, said: “Great strides have been made in Scotland around FASD but we’ve still a long way to go to ensure individuals with FASD and their families receive the support they so urgently need. Every child entering the care system must be screened for FASD.”

Adoption UK will be launching an animated film today, made in collaboration with parents, carers and young people, some of whom have FASD. Conor, aged 13, who has FASD, provided the film’s voiceover. 

Earlier this month, FASD Hub Scotland launched the first Parent/Carer FASD diagnosis experience survey. 

Adoption UK is also hosting FASD webinars throughout September. 

Find out more here.