'Rethink Your Drink' Scratchcards Are Launched In Emergency Departments
Lainey Chorley from the Brief Intervention Team and Steve Frost, Matron for Emergency Services at Poole Hospital show off the new scratchcards
Scratchcards designed to help people assess their alcohol intake are set to be launched in Poole and Bournemouth Emergency Departments this Christmas. The ‘Rethink Your Drink’ cards are the latest initiative in the hospitals’ work with the local Brief Intervention Team (BIT), who talk to over 1,000 Emergency Department visitors every month in a bid to help people understand and control their alcohol consumption.
The scratchcards will be available in the waiting areas of both Emergency Departments, and feature three questions which reflect those that BIT staff ask to visitors to the department:
- How often do you drink alcohol?
- How many units do you consume on a typical day?
- How often do you consume six or more units on one occasion?
A total score is then given to indicate whether the alcohol intake is low or high risk, and the cards provide details of where to go for further information and support (see below for full details, and to take the test).
Steve Frost, Matron for Emergency Care at Poole Hospital said: “Christmas is traditionally a time when people enjoy a few drinks, but we want them to take a moment to think about their alcohol intake and its impact on their health, and to enjoy alcohol sensibly. These innovative scratchcards will help to further the excellent work that is already taking place with BIT, by giving people waiting in the Emergency Department the information they need to evaluate their alcohol intake, even when BIT staff aren’t there.”
It is estimated that alcohol harm costs the NHS an average of £2.7 billion a year*. The BIT team work to help people control their intake, and prevent alcohol consumption reaching harmful levels.
The team are on-hand at local Emergency Departments throughout the week, and chat to people at appropriate times during their visit to help them assess their levels of alcohol consumption, and offer further advice and help where it is needed.
Grant le Brueilly, BIT Manager said: “Since the BIT team was set up in September 2008, we have completed over 1500 interventions in Bournemouth and Poole Emergency Departments, with approximately 80% of patients spoken to reporting an improved awareness around alcohol units as a result of talking to a BIT worker.”
Barry Webb, Deputy Director of Joint Commissioning and Partnerships for NHS Bournemouth and Poole said: “We are pleased that the BIT service is taking such an innovative approach to raise people’s awareness of safe drinking levels. NHS Bournemouth and Poole is proud that with our Local Authority partners, we are funding one of the most effective early intervention for alcohol services in the South West.”
Cathy Lakin, Emergency Care Senior Nurse at Royal Bournemouth Hospital said: “The scratchcards are a really good way for people to become more aware of the amount of alcohol they are drinking, not just at Christmas but throughout the year. We do see an increase in visitors to Emergency Departments due to alcohol and the scratch cards also offer advice on where people can find help and support.”
Guidelines on lower-risk drinking recommend men do not drink more than 3-4 units daily (drinking about two pints or two cans of normal-strength lager or beer on a regular basis) and women do not drink more than 2-3 units daily (regularly drinking about a large glass of wine or three single measures of spirits).
Drinking above these levels can increase your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, liver disease, stroke and other diseases. Drinking above lower-risk guidelines can also impact on your ability to get a good night’s sleep and affect your general day-to-day health.
Take The Test!
The scratchcards ask the following questions:
How often do you have a drink that contains units of alcohol?
Never (0)
Monthly or less (1)
2-4 times per month (2)
2-3 times per week (3)
4+ times per week (4)
How many units of alcohol do you consume on a typical day when you are drinking?
1-2 (0)
3-4 (1)
5-6 (2)
7-9 (3)
10+ (4)
How often do you consume six or more units of alcohol on one occasion?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
Now add up your total score (scores given in brackets). If you scored 0-4, you are a lower risk drinker and are less likely to develop alcohol related problems. If you scored 5-12, you may be drinking at levels that could put your health at risk in the future.
If you have any concerns about your alcohol consumption, contact the Bournemouth & Poole Brief Intervention Team on 01202 203101 or email cri.biteam@cri.org.uk
Date: 24 December 2009