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Support for ABI Delivery

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 the contact details on the Homepage.

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 visual below 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.

The Impact of Alcohol in Scotland Infographic. £3.6 Billion spent on dealing with alcohol related harm in Scotland each year. £1 Billion more than Scotland's entire education budget. There are over 16,000 places to buy alcohol in Scotland, 16 times more alcohol outlets than GP practices. Each year around 96% of applications for new licensed premises are approved. Every 15 minutes someone in Scotland is hospitalised with an alcohol related illness. In deprived areas therea re 40% more places to buy alcohol than in more affluent places. Scottish neighbourhoods with the most alcohol outlets have double the alcohol-related death rate compared to those with the fewest outlets. Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health (CRESH) Logo, The University of Edinburgh Logo, University of Glasgow Logo, Alcohol Focus Logo, Economic and Social Research Council Logo, Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy Logo

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 Phone Delivery – If you’re delivering ABIs over the telephone this resource will support you: 
Support for ABI’s in Antenatal Settings 

Antenatal Crib Sheet

ABI Briefing Paper 2017

Antenatal Briefing Paper 2017

ABI Reporting Form New – ABI Wider Settings Electronic Reporting Form

A short instruction video on how to complete the new form can be found below

Main Partners

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