§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been achieved towards the target of implementing the national strategy to tackle alcohol misuse by 2004. [56565]
§ Ms BlearsThe NHS Plan said that the Government would implement a national strategy to tackle alcohol misuse by 2004. We are on course to achieve this target. We have made the following progress
Discussions have been held with other Government Departments on their current and future plans for tackling alcohol misuse;Links have been built between the strategy and the work on crime reduction;A framework for certain key elements of the strategy has been put in place; including:
- A training course for general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses is currently being piloted. This will enable GPs and nurses to identify patients who are drinking hazardously and to decide on whether to offer support and advice to these patients or whether to refer them to specialist treatment services.
- An increase in the resources available for substance misuse education in schools—an additional £29.5 million has been put into substance misuse education over the last three years.