“Evaluate the Impact of a recent Health Care initiative on nursing practice”
IntroductionAccording to the strategy released by GOV.UK (2012) there were almost 1 million alcohol-related violent crimes  and 1.2 million alcohol-related hospital admissions in
2010/11 alone. The levels of binge drinking among 15-16 year olds in the UK compare poorly with many other European countries and alcohol is one of the three biggest
lifestyle risk factors for disease and death in the United Kingdom after smoking and obesity. In a ploy to tackle alcoholism the government has published strategies
cornering alcohol consumption. The writer will approach this topic by briefly defining alcohol and its effect on an individual.  The writer will discuss the aims and
objectives then briefly talk over the prevalence, determinants, and effects of alcohol/binge drinking. The writer will also critically analyse the aims of government
strategies in tackling alcohol drinking and afterward formulate an action plan initiatives that would address the gaps highlighted. Ethical consideration of the
initiatives will also be explored, and consequently reflection and conclusion will close the study.Aims and objectivesWhenever a new agenda needs to be pushed forward; the government releases policies on the particular subject in order to assist in the resolution of the issue by
pushing forward new theories. The overall aim of the essay is to evaluate the impact of the government proposals on alcoholism on the UK Population the essay will also evaluate how useful the
government strategies are on making healthcare practice in the UK more effective. The writer aims to do this by following these objectives. Define alcohol and its effect on an individual Discuss government initiatives on harmful drinking of alcohol. Evaluate the strategies and relating it to other objectives Discuss the impact of alcohol on healthcare and nursing practice
According to Ewles (2005) alcohol is a depressant drug and is one of the most popular and socially acceptable legally consumed drugs worldwide, alongside nicotine and
caffeine. Alcohol has a clear impact on the brain, altering mood and emotion, affecting co-ordination and reaction times and impacting our ability to assess situations
such as risk-taking behaviour. Alcohol consummation is very common around the world with no exception to the UK where it is very integrated into social life. Alcohol Concern (2017) states that 57 per cent of adults reported drinking alcohol in the previous week in 2016 which equates to 25.3 million adults in England.
Because of how common alcohol consumption is; alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for death, ill-health and disability among 15-49 year-olds in the UK, and the
fifth biggest risk factor across all ages and is estimated to cost the NHS around £3.5 billion annually. (Alcohol Concern, 2017)Windsor-Shellard, (2017) stated that “Men were more likely to be drinkers than women. Specifically, 62.8% of men drank in the previous week compared with 51.3% of
women. When looking at sex-specific patterns of binge drinking, 28.2% of males stated they exceeded 8 units of alcohol on their heaviest day, whereas 25.3% of females
stated that they exceeded 6 units of alcohol.”
Source NHS Digital (2016)
It is a major problem knowing the new generation are being exposed to this public health issue. By their innocent knowledge, they will be victims that in the longer
term, drinking can have a negative effect on a young person’s school work, social life and friendships, as well as their general health. Because of how common alcohol
is with the population and its negative health effectives the government released strategies combating alcohol misuse; with the latest strategy being in 2012. The
strategy involves a number of methods to address the problem which includes methods that involve the health service industry, police services, individuals and
communities. In order for the writer  to evaluate the Impact of a recent Health Care initiative on nursing practice; the writer  be evaluating the latest alcohol
strategy which was released in 2012 by the Conservative & Liberal Democrat coalition government.There arethe five key areas as set out on the government strategy 2012,  on how to attack alcoholismand stop the violence caused by binge drinking: namely: (1)
Changing behaviour at local level; (2) Challenging and enforcement; (3) Rights and responsibilities, (4) Working across boundaries; and (5) Evidence based action on
health harms (Gov.uk).The writer will evaluate the objectives and thereafter, relating it to other initiatives as envisage by the government.In United Kingdom, great majority of people
enjoy alcohol without major evidence of harm to their healthbut Alcohol abuse affects a large number of people.  The statistics below shows current annual death rate
from alcohol-related conditions which is more than thrice that for deaths in road accidents, and costing the NHS for treating such conditions around 3% of its annual
budget DOH (2010). The government’s strategy is an experiment to address some of these significant problems in a logical way. The main emphasis of the strategy is
anecessity to address public order problems.
Graph showing Alcohol-related deaths which includes both alcohol-related diseases and alcohol poisoning such as liver and heart diseases. HSE (2012).
The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are
on the Internet at www.parliament.uk/healthcom.
The Government’s alcohol strategy. (2012). London: Stationery Office.Ewles, L. (2005). Key topics in public health. Edimburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
ncorporating HC 1928-i, Session 2010–12 Published on 19 July 2012 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited