Context

Alcohol abuse is undoubtedly a huge social problem in the UK. It is responsible for many unnecessary attendances to the emergency department (ED) and is an enormous burden on the NHS, which must treat the complications of alcohol abuse. UK Chief Medical Officers advise that, to keep health risks low, men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units per week, and if drinking up to this level, it is best spread evenly over 3 or more days. [1]

In 2023, 10,473 alcohol-specific deaths were registered in the UK (15.9 deaths per 100,000 people) – a 4.2% increase from 2022. Alcoholic liver disease accounted for 75.6% of all alcohol-specific deaths. Male deaths remain twice as high as female deaths. [2]

Scotland has the highest alcohol-specific death rate among the UK nations. Rates are 4.5 times higher in deprived areas.

Alcohol-related liver disease accounts for over 60% of alcohol-related deaths and is now the leading cause of liver transplantation in the UK. [2]