Alcohol Services - Alcohol Brief Intervention & Advice

Your audit score is: __________     

What this means

Score 0. Risk level – Abstainer. You don’t drink alcohol at all. It doesn’t have any impact on your health or life.

Score 1 – 4. Risk level – Low. You are drinking within recommended limits. Well done.

Score 5-7. Risk level – Increasing risk. Your drinking is likely to be affecting your health or wellbeing in some way already.

Score 8-10. Risk level – Higher risk. Your drinking may have become quite problematic; you may already have or be heading towards alcohol dependency. You would benefit from a specialised assessment by the Alcohol Liaison Service.

Score 11-12. Risk level – Possible dependency. Your drinking may have become quite problematic; you may already have or be heading towards alcohol dependency. You would benefit from a specialised assessment by the Alcohol Liaison Service.

See below for information and advice about managing your alcohol intake.

There is no completely safe level of drinking. However, adults are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units spread out over 3 or more days.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the only safe approach is not to drink alcohol at all.

The benefits of cutting down

Physical/Psychological/Social/Financial

• Reduced risk of injury
• Reduced risk of high blood pressure
• Reduced risk of cancer
• Reduced risk of liver disease
• Reduced risk of brain damage
• Reduce risky behaviour
• Sleep better and have more energy
• Improved relationships
• Lose weight
• No hangovers
• Improved memory and mood
• Save money
• Improve fertility

Ideas to help you to cut down

• Switch to low alcohol beer/larger
• Plan activities and tasks at those times you usually drink
• When bored or stressed have a workout instead of drinking
• Explore ither interests such as cinema, exercises etc
• Avoid going to the pub after work
• Have your first drink after starting to eat
• Quench your thirst with non-alcohol drinks before alcohol
• Avoid drinking in rounds or in large groups
• Take smaller sips
• Avoid or limit the time spent with ‘heavy’ drinking friends