One of the most compelling reasons for local authorities taking on public health responsibilities is that councils are best placed to understand the specific issues affecting their own communities.
At Blackburn with Darwen, we believe this is very much the case when it comes to tackling the problem of harmful drinking.
That is why, rather than passively awaiting the cue from Westminster, we are working with the Clinical Commissioning Group and other partners in the borough – and joining with neighbouring authorities – to take action locally.
Alcohol-related deaths are major contributors to health inequalities worldwide and, as a borough with high levels of deprivation where life expectancy is five years lower than affluent areas, combating harmful drinking must be a priority. The annual cost of alcohol related health problems nationally is £55bn and in Blackburn with Darwen it is £68m.
We have the 30th highest liver disease rate in the country and associated hospital admissions have doubled since 2000. This is all the more concerning considering 22% of our population are abstainers and Public Health England figures suggest some 20% of our residents are regularly drinking beyond recommended levels.
As well as taking an inevitable toll on family life, at £486 per resident per year, the cost of alcohol related crime, NHS bills and lost working days here is higher than the national average. This is money that could be spent in much more positive ways.
Having identified a clear problem, we have been working with partners to find answers. While we welcome any action at central government level to attempt to reduce excessive alcohol consumption, we are disappointed that MPs have pulled back from a commitment to minimum unit pricing in England and plans to introduce this in Scotland face a legal challenge from the drink industry. In our view, new Home Office rules, preventing retailers charging less than 10.16p for a litre of vodka or 50p for a 440ml can of lager, will not have the same impact as a legal minimum price per unit.
The formula being used is overly complicated, only a tiny proportion of sales will be covered and inflation can make prices increasingly affordable.
With risk drinkers more likely to use strong, cheap lager and cider, research from Sheffield University offers evidence that minimum unit pricing targets this group effectively.
Cllr Brian Taylor, Blackburn with Darwen's lead member for health and adult social care, has worked across parties and council boundaries to champion alcohol harm reduction.
We passed a motion in November 2013 calling for a national minimum alcohol unit price of 50p and we are coming together with other North West authorities to ask the Government to re-consider minimum unit pricing. Councils in Lancashire are also working collectively to look at the implications of introducing by-laws to ensure minimum alcohol unit pricing, which would need to be co-ordinated to prevent 'drinking tourists' crossing to neighbouring authorities.
Blackburn with Darwen has consulted widely on its imminent alcohol strategy, which emphasises: partnership working; minimum unit pricing; and consumer choice, education and information.
The strategy links with substance misuse work and improving data on alcohol related hospital admissions to help target support. The council and police are already working closely on alcohol issues through the Community Safety Partnership and initiatives such as 'Challenge 25'. We can also use our licensing powers to examine health, crime and other concerns when considering licensing applications.
All of this means encouraging productive partnerships with local publicans as well as residents. Landlords see our approach as 'pub friendly' because cheap alcohol can destroy their livelihoods.
We recognise a challenge in getting across messages about the impact of excessive alcohol on health, family and community life without seeming too paternalistic and are considering communications carefully. Events so far include 500 council staff and residents signing up for 'Dry January'.
Social media is an effective tool in helping young people make informed choices and cope with peer pressure. We are also promoting healthy alternatives to a drink-dominated culture.
The new public health role of councils has enabled us to work with partners to get things done quickly that might have previously taken years. Having identified a risk to our citizens, we are doing all we can to reduce this. We urge national government to do the same.
Dominic Harrison is Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's director of public health
