Calling time: the nation's drinking as a major health issue

In September 2003 a Working Group was convened to consider a National alcohol harm reduction strategy.

Working Group meetings were attended by observers from stakeholder organisations. A draft report was produced in January 2004 and was submitted for Review in February 2004. It was published in March 2004.

The report focuses on the overall national consumption of alcohol, the evidence that this is a major determinant of harm and the opportunities for effective public health intervention that follow from this. It concludes that the scientific evidence indicates that, for the health of the public, action is required to reduce consumption of alcohol at a population level.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot FMedSci (Chairman)
Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London

Professor Ian Gilmore (Secretary)
Registrar
Royal College of Physicians

Dr Annie Britton
Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health University College London

Professor Sir Richard Doll OBE FRS FMedSci

Professor Griffith Edwards CBE FMedSci
Royal College of Psychiatrists

Professor Christine Godfrey
Society of the Study of Addiction Executive, Society for the Study of Addiction

Professor Klim McPherson FMedSci
Professor of Public Health Epidemiology University of Oxford

Professor Robin Room
Director, Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs
Stockholm University

Observers:

Dr Nick Sheron
Clinical Senior Lecturer
University of Southampton

Dr Carol Sweetenham
Team Leader
Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit

Dr Sandra Williams
Principal Research Officer
Department of Health

To identify, characterise and document the overall national consumption of alcohol, the evidence that this is a major determinant of harm and the opportunities for effective public health intervention that follow from this.

In order to achieve this goal the Working Group sought to:

• Identify areas for detailed policy discussion involving a cross-section of interests.
• Raise specific and general issues relating to alcohol harm minimisation strategy.
• Be evidence-based.
• Address policy-issues across government departments.
• Complement the parallel report on alcohol misuse being produced by the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

Professor Kay Tee Khaw FMedSci
Professor of Clinical Gerontology, University of Cambridge

Professor Thomas Meade CBE FRS FMedSci
Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine