Is the NHS equipped to tackle the burden of alcohol alone?

Breakfast debate, 2 February 2010

In a time of fiscal deficit it is more important than ever for the health sector to reconsider how it responds to alcohol-related admissions and how service delivery can be redesigned to tackle this growing challenge. The recent NHS Confederation and Royal College of Physicians' report Too much of the hard stuff: what alcohol costs the NHS considered the service redesign needed, but even if the NHS was to implement all of these recommendations, it would be unlikely that it could tackle the issue of alcohol alone.

Improving public health has been deemed a key cross-party priority ahead of the General Election. It will be important for any new government to decide upon the correct approach early on to prevent the unsustainable burden on the NHS.

This breakfast debate was held jointly with the Royal College of Physicians to consider the best combination of system redesign and national policy required to tackle this issue.

Speakers included:

• Mark Easton, BBC Home Affairs Editor (Chair)
• Nigel Edwards, Director of Policy, NHS Confederation
• Professor Ian Gilmore, President, Royal College of Physicians
• Christine Hancock, Director, C3 Collaborating for Health
• Dr Kieran Moriarty, Consultant, Royal Bolton Hospital.