Advocacy for evidence based policies
Highlighting how alcohol harms our communities and giving a voice to people affected are pivotal parts of Balance’s work.
The North East region sees the worst harm from alcohol in England. We have the highest rate of alcohol related deaths and hospital admissions and nearly half of adults are drinking above the low risk guidelines.
With partners we highlight the impact of alcohol on health, social care, inequalities, crime, community safety and the economy.
We track and reflect public opinion in the North East around the public support to reduce alcohol harm and ensure we maximise voices from the North East with key decision makers.
Balance is an integral member of the Alcohol Health Alliance and we work with many local, regional, national and international partners. We are calling for the development of an evidence-based national alcohol strategy, which improves awareness of alcohol harms and decreases the affordability, availability and marketing of alcohol products.
- A minimum price of at least 65p per unit of alcohol across the whole of the UK
- Health warnings and more information on labels
- Restrictions on alcohol marketing to protect children and vulnerable people
- A fairer and healthier alcohol duty system
- Better access to alcohol treatment and support
- More awareness of the risks of alcohol
Reducing alcohol harm- a blueprint for national action
Balance has developed ‘Reducing alcohol harm- a blueprint for national action’ which sets out the scale of alcohol-related harms, alongside the latest evidence base and our vision for change in the future. This document has been initially endorsed by a number of key partners in the region, including:
- The Directors of Public Health for our seven commissioning local authorities: Amanda Healy – County Durham, Alice Wiseman – Gateshead & Newcastle, Wendy Burke – North Tyneside, Gill O’Neill – Northumberland, Tom Hall – South Tyneside, and Gerry Taylor – Sunderland
- Kim McGuinness (Mayor of the North East Combined Authority)
- Dr Neil O’Brien (Chief Medical Officer of the NHS Integrated Care Board for the North East and North Cumbria) and Sam Allen (Chief Executive of the NHS Integrated Care Board for the North East and North Cumbria)
- Joy Allen (Durham Police and Crime Commissioner)
- Susan Dungworth (Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner)
- Grahame Morris MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group Drugs, Alcohol & Justice
Alcohol is a driver of major harms in the region and in spite of strong partnership working in the North East, the need for national action has never been greater. Support for evidence-based interventions is extremely high in the North East and beyond – regardless of political affiliation. Taking action on alcohol harms must be a cornerstone of building a safer, stronger, healthier and more economically productive country and as part of a wider drive to combat unhealthy commodities.
With people affected by alcohol we advocate for change:
Mum Joanne Good (below) lost her 16-year-old daughter Megan on 1 January 2014. Megan passed away in her sleep from pulmonary aspiration after drinking alcohol at a friend’s party. Joanne’s has campaigned about the problem of cheap strong alcohol.
Alcohol takes up far too much time and capacity for front line emergency staff like North East Ambulance paramedics. Balance is calling for an independent national review of alcohol harm.
Alcohol advertising is everywhere. For thousands of people like Karen (below) who have struggled with alcohol addiction, that can make life hard and even lead to relapses. Visit https://ahauk.org/get-involved/take-action/
Balance report - Alcohol: A Perfect Storm
Balance’s “Perfect Storm” report was the largest survey of of any English region into how the pandemic had impacted on alcohol use…worryingly it found an estimated 47% of adults or 855,000 people in the North East were drinking above recommended limits in 2020 – with men and middle aged people the heaviest drinkers…but it also found high levels of recognition of the problems alcohol causes.
Read the 2021 Balance report
A Healthier Future – an evidence-based alcohol strategy for the UK
Alcohol harm is a serious and growing challenge in the UK, affecting health, wellbeing, the NHS, social services, criminal justice, and the economy. The burden falls hardest on people with lower incomes and those living in deprived areas. With alcohol deaths at record levels and the last national strategy published over a decade ago, urgent, evidence-based action is needed.
This report, produced by an independent group of experts in alcohol policy, research, and treatment, sets out a long-term blueprint for reducing alcohol harm. It provides practical, evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, local authorities, and health professionals, aiming to change society’s relationship with alcohol and ensure lasting progress for public health and communities.
Public Health England evidence review
This seminal review by PHE in 2016 looks at the impact of alcohol on public health and the effectiveness of alcohol control policies.
We need national action on alcohol harm
Alice Wiseman MBE, Director of Public Health for Newcastle and Gateshead Council and also Alcohol Policy Lead for the Association of Directors of Public Health explains why alcohol is not just an issue for a few heavy drinkers but right across our communities – and why we urgently need national action to address rising levels of harm.