South East London faces a significant public health crisis due to alcohol-related harm, with approximately 1,500 deaths annually in London linked to alcohol. From 2019-2022, South East London experienced a 27% rise in alcohol-attributable deaths. The societal cost of alcohol harms in South East London is estimated at £902.5 million annually, equating to £504 per resident. Alcohol-related issues are major contributors to healthcare expenses, crime, workplace productivity losses, and social service burdens.

In response to the scale of these harms and costs, the South East London Integrated Care Board commissioned a study and toolkit from the independent Institute of Alcohol Studies to identify evidence-based approaches to reduce these harms through local policy interventions.

View and download the report here.

View and download the toolkit here.

The report identified, in summary, that: enabling a pan-London Minimum Unit Price for alcohol; prohibiting advertising of alcohol in local authority owned spaces; better regulating availability in places and at times of the day; reducing the availability of low cost, high strength beers, lagers and ciders; and, making alcohol screening routine across the population and improving the quality of alcohol treatment services would together contribute to significant reductions in harm, and societal costs, reducing the estimated £900+ million annually spent on the impacts of alcohol.

Whilst the introduction of a Minimum Unit Price for alcohol in London of between 50p and 70p (adjusted for inflation) could save between 33 and 149 lives annually, due to reduced consumption, this will require national legislation, so the recommendations and tool kit focus on other evidence-based interventions to reduce alcohol harms in South East London.

How can this be achieved?

Alcohol Harm: Scope and Inequalities

Alcohol harm disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities. Despite lower consumption rates, individuals in deprived areas face higher hospitalization and mortality rates due to alcohol-related issues, so it’s a key health inequalities issue for South East London.

Policy and Evidence Review

The evidence review categorized interventions into seven policy areas, emphasizing affordability, availability, and marketing regulation. Recommendations focus on local actions within four areas:

1. Regulating Marketing:

• Prohibit alcohol advertising in council-owned spaces to reduce exposure, particularly among vulnerable groups such as youth.
• Evidence suggests bans can delay alcohol initiation and reduce heavy consumption.
• Several local authorities in London already have policies prohibiting the advertising of various health-harming products on their estate including junk food and, in some cases, alcohol and gambling.

2. Regulating Availability:

• Restrict the density and operating hours of alcohol outlets using Statements of Licensing Policy and Cumulative Impact Zones (CIZs).
• Advocacy for integrating public health objectives into licensing laws, alongside advocacy for MUP.

3. Managing the Drinking Environment:

• Replace glassware with safer alternatives in licensed premises to reduce injuries, as is currently the case in many sporting and entertainment venues
• Encourage voluntary programs like “Reducing the Strength,” targeting high-strength, low-cost alcohol, scaling up across all South East London Boroughs.
• Implement community initiatives such as “Drink Less Enjoy More,” which have shown success in reducing sales to intoxicated individuals, co-designing messaging with residents and health and care providers.

4. Expanding Brief Interventions and Treatment:

• Introduce routine Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) screenings in primary care and other healthcare and social care settings, which could be supported by digital IBA tools already available in some Boroughs.
• Incorporate psychosocial and pharmacological treatments following NICE guidelines into locally commissioned alcohol treatment services, building on existing best practice, raising up the standard of services across South East London.

The report highlights some of the challenges to changing policy and practice, especially that the implementation of a Minimum Unit Price for London would probably require national legislation, and its impact might be lower than in Scotland (which has had MUP for several years) because overall prices are higher and across the population consumption is lower. However, local authority licensing policies can play a role in regulating alcohol availability and promoting healthier drinking environments without requiring national legislative changes.

Initial steps to producing best practice guidance for alcohol licensing and health inequalities have been taken by local authority licensing teams, Police Licensing Officers, Public Health practitioners, and alcohol treatment services coming together to start designing this guidance.

Resources for Local Implementation

The report offers tools and strategies to support local authorities in implementing the proposed interventions. Collaboration between health services, community leaders and residents, and policymakers is crucial. Public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives can complement regulatory measures to foster community support.

The report underscores the urgency of addressing alcohol harm in South East London through evidence-based policies and interventions. Reducing alcohol harm is integral to promoting health equity, enhancing community safety, and alleviating economic burdens on public services. By implementing the outlined strategies, stakeholders can create a safer, healthier environment for all residents, as well as deliver significant costs savings to a range of public services.