Support for ABI delivery

As someone trained by NHS Highland to deliver Alcohol Brief Interventions (ABIs), you are important in helping us embed and deliver ABIs. We want to help you to achieve this. If you have a specific request please e-mail nhsh.healthimprovementtraining@nhs.scot, or use the contact details on the Homepage.

If you feel it would be appropriate for you to be trained to deliver ABIs in your role, please e-mail nhsh.healthimprovementtraining@nhs.scot, or use the contact details on the Homepage. It is possible to start this process with the Turas module, available via NHS Highland. We can then offer follow up training. Turas could also be a useful refresher session for you.

Count14

The Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland are running a national alcohol public information campaign.  The campaign aims to raise awareness of the CMO lower-risk guidelines of 14 units per week, what one unit and 14 units mean in terms of specific alcoholic drinks and the health risks of drinking more than 14 units on a regular basis. For more information click here

Revised UK Chief Medical Officer's revised alcohol guidelines

Check out NHS Highland's summary page for this, now called "low risk alcohol consumption"

Alcohol Brief Intervention Resources

Health Scotland have updated many of their ABI resources in 2017 to be consistent with the new drinking guidelines.  See the table below for links to these.

How does your conversation flow when you have discussions about alcohol? Here are some responses people might make. Think about how ready they might be to think about making a change, and how you might respond. Remember you always have "the exit strategy", but "leave the door open" for a person to come back if possible.

Our Screening and Brief Intervention Handbook (updated March 2021) with colour diagram of stages of an ABI, Is available here:

Can you spot a risky drinker?

Remember ABIs are a whole population approach to addressing Scotland's relationship with alcohol. Any one of us might be drinking at hazardous or harmful levels. Often people are unaware of what risky levels of alcohol are, and the risks of drinking above these levels.