Alcohol Harm Reduction Campaign December 2006

Young people will be the target of a city-wide campaign to reduce harm through hazardous drinking. The campaign will run across December and follows on from the Governments recent national alcohol campaign ‘Know Your Limits’.  Hazardous binge drinking, where a large amount of alcohol is consumed over a short space of time, usually with the aim of getting drunk, is of growing concern in the UK.  

Gavin Bryce, Assistant Joint Commissioning Manager for Substance Misuse at Brighton and Hove City Teaching PCT said: “The drive of this campaign is to make young people focus on the hazards associated with binge drinking and ways of avoiding harm - essentially a survival guide”.  "Within the literature will be a ‘call to action’, where young people will be incentivised to sign up for a free text service. Once signed up, text messages will be sent out to remind them of the campaign messages at times when they are most likely to be drinking and at most risk of harm. Messages like, “Who’s watching ur drink?” and “How’re u getting home tonight?” will prompt young people to reflect".  

The campaign will also promote local services and sources of help such as the Sussed about Drink website (www.sussedaboutdrink.net) where people can take on-line drink tests and seek help if they need it. For information and campaign materials please contact Gavin Bryce gavin.bryce@bhcpct.nhs.uk 01273 545398. 

Notes for news editorsBrighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust is part of the NHS. It is responsible for the health of people in the city, for tackling health inequalities and for bringing health and social care more closely together. It holds the NHS budget, steers the work of GPs and makes sure hospital services are in place to meet local people’s needs.