Doctors target suspects to expose problem drinkers

Published on Thursday 8 October 2009 10:07

A PROJECT to get GPs to identify problem drinkers has exposed thousands of people in the latest in a series of damning alcohol indictments on the Lothians.

Doctors were asked to single out people for whom they thought alcohol may be an issue, and discovered that three-quarters of those they targeted drank "hazardous" amounts.

The findings come days after it emerged that people are more likely to exceed recommended weekly alcohol intake in Lothians than anywhere else in Scotland.

In the last year, 6,500 "brief interventions" have been carried out by doctors – a scheme whereby someone whose primary or secondary health complaints could in some way be related to drinking alcohol to excess is quizzed and then given recommendations.

Around 90 per cent of practices now work with the pilot, and it is hoped around 100,000 people will be targeted in the next few years.

Dr Jonathan Chick, NHS Lothian's consultant psychiatrist in the Alcohol Problem Service, said: "This work is proving extremely beneficial in identifying early problems with alcohol and helping people make lifestyle decisions based on factual information."