Scottish Health Action on Alcohol problems (SHAAP), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland and Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) Scotland are calling for better support and treatment for people with alcohol problems in hospitals across Scotland.
Alcohol Harms
FOI specialist services
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by SHAAP has revealed an inconsistent patchwork approach to provision of alcohol care team services, despite the high number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in Scotland.
Alcohol & Cancer: Myth-busting and Secondary Prevention
John Mooney, Consultant in Public Health, discusses the links between alcohol and cancer at a population level and makes a case for incorporating behaviour risk profiling in relation to alcohol alongside screening targeting messaging. The hard-hitting image of Balance North East’s ‘Alcohol is toxic’ campaign in 2023 accompanied by a graphic short video, which highlighted […]
Alcohol & Cancer Risks: A guide for health professionals (2025)
Updated version of SHAAP brochure ‘Alcohol and Cancer Risks: A Guide for Health Professionals. Drinking alcohol is a risk factor for several cancers. This guide updates previousguidance from SHAAP to summarise for health professionals the links betweenalcohol consumption and cancers using the latest data* so that healthprofessionals can use opportunities in their work to intervene […]
FASD: Recognising the signs and the risks of pre-natal alcohol exposure
In our latest blog, new SHAAP Steering Group Member Dr Patricia D. Jackson highlights the risks of pre-natal alcohol exposure, describes some key signs of FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) in children and young adults and shares her hopes for more work to be done on this topic. Dr. Patricia D. Jackson OBE, FRCPCH, is […]
Ambulance clinicians’ preparedness for handling alcohol-related call-outs
As this is ongoing academic work, the recording and/ or event report of this seminar is not publicly available. If you would like to enquire about accessing these materials, please contact us at SHAAP@rcpe.ac.uk. Alcohol places a significant burden on UK ambulance services, with at least one-in-six ambulance call-outs in Scotland being alcohol-related. Ambulance staff […]
Can the language we choose help us reduce alcohol-related harms?
As this is ongoing academic work, the recording and/ or event report of this seminar is not publicly available. If you would like to enquire about accessing these materials, please contact us at SHAAP@rcpe.ac.uk. Increased calls have been made to attend to the language around alcohol use made on several grounds. In particular, language has been […]
A Match Made in Scotland – The Relationship between Football and Alcohol
Read the event report for Dr Richard Purves’ webinar: A match made in Scotland – The relationship between football and alcohol. The focus of the webinar was for Richard and colleagues to explain the research findings on why and how people drink alcohol whilst watching football, the extent of harm caused and how it compares […]
STIGMA SERIES: Stigma and Alcohol-Related Brain Damage (ARBD)
In this blog, Leeanne MacPherson and Dr Ben Chetcuti from the NHS mental health, alcohol and drug liaison team in Ayrshire and Arran, share their experiences of working with alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) patients and the various ways these service users can be stigmatised through their treatment journeys. Leeanne MacPherson’s views Having worked in the […]
Joint AFS SHAAP letter to Neil Gray
Joint letter with Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) sent to Cabinet Secretary for Health Neil Gray on 30 January 2025.
JUSTICE SERIES: Glasgow’s Alcohol Problem Solving Court
In this blog, Sheriff Iain Fleming gives an overview of the Glasgow Alcohol Problem Solving Court, which aims to assist those who have regularly offended while under the influence of alcohol, to control their alcohol consumption such that they no longer offend. The Glasgow alcohol court began life in February 2018, initially as a pilot court […]
JUSTICE SERIES: The power of community in recovery: Strengthening alcohol support across Scotland’s criminal justice system
In our latest blog, Josh D shares his lived experience of alcoholism and recovery to highlight the importance of recognising Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a means of support for those with alcohol problems within the Justice System. For fourteen years, my life centred on alcoholism, drug addiction, family estrangement, homelessness, repeated prison sentences and multiple […]