Greater Manchester’s Big Alcohol Conversation
Feedback updated 15 Apr 2019
We asked
We asked people across Greater Manchester to tell us about the role and impacts of alcohol in their communities.
We know that alcohol-related harm is costing Greater Manchester’s public services over £1.3bn a year – the equivalent of £500 for every resident. And beyond the visible impacts, hidden harms are experienced by more people of all ages and backgrounds than is commonly recognised.
But alcohol plays an important part in our region’s close communities and vibrant towns and cities. Our night life is celebrated around the world. The vast majority of people who drink enjoy doing so safely and responsibly.
This was not looking into people’s individual behaviour. We wanted to find out what residents and businesses understand about the scale and nature of alcohol harm in our city region, and how – and indeed if – things should change when it comes to the way we drink.
You said
Through broad engagement with the public, and targeted activities with more than 80 local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, more than 5000 people joined in the Big Alcohol Conversation.
We are now analysing everyone’s contributions, through our online surveys, one-to-one interviews and focus groups.
What is immediately clear is that people see a wide range of issues linked to alcohol in their local areas, from crime and anti-social behaviour to homelessness to personal health issues. There is support for more action to tackle these impacts, and low awareness for measures already in place.
We did
Watch this space…
Later this year we will reveal the full results of our Big Alcohol Conversation, alongside the launch of a Greater Manchester ‘Ambition for Alcohol’. This will be our statement of intent, co-designed by people across the city region.
Our ambition will set out how we could do things differently – whether through developing new policies or inspiring social change. And how together we could realise our vision for Greater Manchester as a place where everyone can have the best start in life, live well and age well, protected from the harms caused by alcohol.
Overview
The Greater Manchester vision is to make our city region one of the best places in the world. A place where everyone can have the best start in life, live well and age well.
Protecting people from the harms caused by alcohol is an important part of this.
The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority are aiming to reduce the harms associated with alcohol while supporting Greater Manchester’s communities and night time economies to grow and thrive.
The Big Alcohol Conversation is an important step on the journey to achieving this.
Why your views matter
Alcohol-related harm is costing Greater Manchester’s public services over £1.3bn a year – the equivalent of £500 for every resident.
More than 22,000 Greater Manchester hospital admissions a year are directly caused by alcohol, while almost a quarter of our residents say that there is a big problem with people being drunk or rowdy in public places.
But beyond such visible signs, the hidden harms run deep into our communities – impacting on children’s emotional health and wellbeing and affecting more groups of people than is commonly recognised.
But alcohol plays an important part in our region’s close communities and vibrant towns and cities. Our night life is celebrated around the world. The vast majority of people who drink enjoy doing so safely and responsibly.
Through a major public engagement exercise running from November 2018 to March 2019, we are reaching out to residents across Greater Manchester to explore the scale and nature of alcohol-related harm in our city region.
We are not looking into people’s individual behaviour, but what residents and businesses understand about alcohol harm, and how – and indeed if – things should change when it comes to the way we drink.
The Big Alcohol Conversation will conclude in Spring 2019 with the launch of a Greater Manchester ‘Ambition for Alcohol’ – our statement of intent co-designed by people across the city region, setting out how together we can do things differently and realise our vision.
Audiences
- General public
- Young people
- Businesses
- Community, voluntary sector and social enterprises
- Schools, colleges and universities
- Academics
- Public sector partners
Interests
- Mayor of Greater Manchester
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