A practical guide that supports communities to tackle alcohol-related harm has been developed by Galway Healthy Cities Alcohol Forum. It guides communities through evidence-based solutions that can be undertaken in local areas– and provides clear references so that people can know what is proven to work to improve health and social problems.

The booklet – Research evidence to prevent alcohol-related harm: What communities can do in Ireland - translates the science into a format that can be easily understood starting with the policy areas with the strongest scientific evidence and providing practical community action opportunities. Dr Hope stressed that “key areas of supply, such as price, availability and marketing; and demand, such as early intervention need to be addressed to prevent and reduce alcohol problems”.

The HSE recently announced a new policy on alcohol-related education and communications programmes, which formally separates HSE public health advice from partnership with the alcohol industry, a decision which was supported by the evidence provided in this new guide. Cate Hartigan concluded: ‘The overall approach to alcohol action across the health and community sector is informed by our collective responsibility to protect health, and to promote evidence-based alcohol policy. This new guide is an excellent example of how we can work together to reduce alcohol-related harm, and support a population to be more informed on how alcohol affects our health and wellbeing, our work and relationships, our children and our society’.