The Royal College of Surgeons of England is challenging nurses, doctors and surgeons working in NHS trauma services to help curb the epidemic of alcohol misuse by providing advice to patients during their course of treatment.
Clinical trials show that 24% more hazardous drinkers reduce their drinking to safer levels a year later, if they receive a “brief intervention” at follow up appointments following a hospital admission for trauma – compared to those who do not. The new standard affirms that this should be a routine and expected part of surgical care. The “brief intervention” consists of simple advice delivered by clinical staff to patients with an alcohol problem, and motivates them to stop abusing alcohol. Trials have demonstrated that in the aftermath of injury and surgery, when patients attend outpatient clinics to have stitches removed or dressings changed, a unique “teachable moment” arises, which can be used to screen for alcohol misuse and help patients to reduce their drinking. This treatment is also cost-effective as it does not require additional staff and fits in with current practice. The UK Burden of Injuries Study of 2007 showed there were 7.98 million injury related A&E attendances and 751,000 injury related hospital admissions for the 60.6 million UK population in 2005/6. Some 30% of these are associated to some extent with alcohol misuse. This works out at over two million alcohol related A&E injury attendances each year. Janet Davies, executive director of nursing and service delivery at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said: “Nurses frequently see the devastating effects of excessive drinking on people’s physical and psychological health. The time nurses spend with patients during follow-up appointments provides a valuable window of opportunity to encourage people to think about whether they might be drinking too much and to signpost them to further information and advice.”
