As someone trained by NHS Highland to deliver Alcohol Brief Interventions (ABIs), you are important in helping us embed and deliver ABIs. We want to help you to achieve this. If you have a specific request please e-mail nhsh.healthimprovementtraining@nhs.scot, or use our contact form.
If you feel it would be appropriate for you to be trained to deliver ABIs in your role, it is possible to start this process with the Turas Module, available via NHS Highland. We can then offer follow up training. Turas could also be a useful refresher session for you.
The following visual highlights some of the key facts around the impact of alcohol on the lives of people in Scotland. It can help remind us why we deliver ABIs or can be used to explain to people why we ask about alcohol.
How does your conversation flow when you have discussions about alcohol? Here are some responses people might make. Think about how ready they might be to think about making a change, and how you might respond. Remember you always have “the exit strategy”, but “leave the door open” for a person to come back if possible.
- I don’t want to talk about my drinking
- Well I don’t have many other pleasures
- I don’t have time to discuss this right now
- In that case, I will have to cut down
- I don’t think I drink too much
- I think I could make some changes
- No I’m not interested
- What could I do?
- I didn’t know it was risky
- I’d miss it a lot if I cut down
- I’ve tried before but it was very difficult
- I have been trying but it’s really tricky
- I enjoy drinking
- What do you mean?
- I am drinking less, but it’s easy to slip back into it
- I know I should cut down but I think it would be really hard
Can you spot a risky drinker?
Remember ABIs are a whole population approach to addressing Scotland’s relationship with alcohol. Any one of us might be drinking at hazardous or harmful levels. Often people are unaware of what risky levels of alcohol are, and the risks of drinking above these levels.
Count 14
The Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland Count 14 campaign aims to raise awareness of the UK Chief Medical Officers’ lower-risk guidelines of 14 units per week. What 1 unit and 14 units mean in terms of specific alcoholic drinks and the health risks of drinking more than 14 units on a regular basis.
Alcohol Brief Interventions Resources
ABI Briefing Paper – Delivering alcohol brief interventions (PDF)
Screening and Brief Intervention Handbook for At-Risk and Harmful Alcohol Use (PDF)
Making a change – Helping you make positive choices about the amount you drink (PDF)
ABI Phone Delivery
If you’re delivering ABIs over the telephone this resource will support you:
Telephone delivery of Alcohol Brief Interventions (PDF)
Support for ABI’s in Antenatal Settings
Antenatal Crib Sheet (PDF)
ABI Briefing Paper 2017 (PDF)
Antenatal Briefing Paper 2017 (PDF)
ABI Reporting Form
You can now access the new ABI wider settings reporting form.