Booze warning sent to 9,000 homes

REDUCING Binge Drinking... Dr Andrew Vance, head of the Drink Aware Oldham Programme

MORE than 9,000 homes in Failsworth have received advice and information about the dangers of binge drinking ahead of the festive season.

Dr Andrew Vance, head of the Drink Aware Oldham programme, has written to the area in an attempt to reduce the number of people drinking excessively over Christmas, which can lead to possible irreparable liver damage.

Failsworth was chosen because of its close proximity to Oldham town centre and Manchester city centre.

The move comes after more than 44,000 people attended the Accident & Emergency Department at the Royal Oldham Hospital with alcohol-related conditions last year.

Dr Vance, who is also a GP in Royton, said: “Alcohol is classed as a poison and when we drink heavily our bodies have to do overtime to detox.

“The message is to “think before you have that extra drink” as exceeding the two pint limit really does have an effect, making us more tired, less energised and it causes more damage to the liver.”

A session of three pints or more constitutes binge drinking and can lead to the development of hazardous conditions, including obesity, heart disease, anxiety and liver damage.

The Drink Aware initiative is funded by NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and tackling fatty liver disease will be a priority for health chiefs in 2015.

The condition can lead to problems including serious scarring on the liver — more commonly known as cirrhosis — and all people with liver disease have an increased risk of developing heart problems and strokes.

Dr Vance continued: “Typically, I am seeing patients reaching their 50’s who drink a little too much, are slightly overweight, do little exercise, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

“Taken together that means they are at high risk of stroke and other serious conditions.”

Helping over 30 patients a week at one-to-one sessions, Drink Aware’s all-year message is not one of abstinence but instead aims to help hazardous drinkers to take a responsible attitude to alcohol.

Dr Vance’s Christmas communication includes a quick questionnaire about respondents’ average alcohol intake. Other boroughs should receive similar communications soon.

Dr Vance concluded: “Our message this Christmas is engage in a healthy lifestyle, ease up on the drinking — and give your liver the present of good health.”