Developing a roadmap for tackling alcohol harm in the UK
Dr Katherine Severi – Chief Executive of IAS
Karen Biggs – Chief Executive of Phoenix Futures
On this month’s podcast we spoke to Dr Katherine Severi, IAS’s Chief Executive, and Karen Biggs, Chief Executive of treatment provider Phoenix Futures, about IAS’s forthcoming report: A healthier future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK, due to be published in October. We discussed why a long-term strategy is urgently needed, the ambitious targets set out in the report, and how prevention and treatment must go hand in hand. The conversation explored both the opportunities and barriers ahead – from minimum unit pricing and stronger marketing restrictions, to the postcode lottery in treatment and the influence of the alcohol industry. As Dr Katherine Severi puts it: “There’s no magic pill or silver bullet. That’s why our report sets out a broad range of policies and clear targets – not only to build capacity in treatment and support services, but also to ‘turn down the tap’ and prevent the next generation from experiencing alcohol harm.”