By registering and becoming a Think Safe Drink Safe cardholder, you’ll enjoy offers such as discounted alcohol-free beer, cider and non-alcoholic cocktails in participating venues.

• Maybe you’re watching your weight and want something healthier in your hand? (alcohol-free can have as little as a quarter of the calories)
• erhaps you are pregnant (or trying to conceive) and miss the look and feel of your favourite tipple?
• Are you sometimes the designated driver but still want to enjoy a grown-up drink?
• Or just trying to drink a bit less but want to try something new?

For your free Think Safe Drink Safe card, or to suggest a venue that you think should take part, visit www.tsdscard.com

This week, Public Health Development Service is linking up with the Know Your Limit’s campaign to encourage people to think about how much they are drinking and offer help to stay within their limits.

Why not keep a simple drink diary for the week to learn whether your drinking could be putting you at risk? Or check out our top ten tips for cutting back on the booze. For more information visit www.units.nhs.uk or text DRINK to 80480 for a free information pack (standard network rates apply)

Top ten tips for cutting back on the booze

1. Decide on your goal. Do you want to cut down or perhaps have time off alcohol altogether?
2. Pick a day of the next week to start. Go for a day when you are less likely to be under pressure.
3. Keep a drink diary to help you keep a check on how much you are drinking. Work out how you can avoid situations that you know will encourage you to drink
4. Reduce your units by choosing drinks that are not so strong or not so large.
5. Pace yourself. Try alternating alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic or low alcohol ones. Get a Think Safe Drink Safe card for offers on popular alcohol-free beer, wine and cider. For your chance to win a theatre break at the Midland Hotel visit www.tsdscard.com and tell us what bars or pubs you’d like to see join the scheme.
6. Plan things to do for those times when you have thoughts or urges for a drink.
7. Replace drinking with other stress-reducing pleasures – do some exercise, have a relaxing bath, listen to music, or talk to a friend you can trust.
8. Take stock of your progress and make sure you give yourself credit for your achievements so far. This will help you keep going to achieve your targets.
9. Try to have at least two alcohol-free days a week. Always give your body a 48 hour break from booze if you do drink too much in one session.
10. Don't give up! Changing a habit like drinking takes time and hard work. Focus on what you've achieved so far and reward yourself when you meet your goals.

* Pregnant women and women trying to conceive should avoid alcohol altogether. Never more than 1-2 units once or twice a week.

For more information click on the PDF below to read more...

Top Ten Tips Leaflet	Updated: 16/10/09	1MB
Drinks Diary	Updated: 16/10/09	1.3MB

A Dual Diagnosis Network Day about experiences of mental health, substance use and homelessness. The day is most appropriate for service users, carers and front-line staff working within the fields of homelessness, substance use, mental health and related areas. The day promises to be dynamic, varied and inter-active with performances and personal testimony from service users, carers and staff.

For more information click on the PDF below to read more...

Down Not Out Flyer

Updated: 07/07/09

1.4MB

Are you affected by someone else’s drinking? Have you been affected in the past? A new weekly support group/advice surgery for people affected by someone else’s drinking has been set up in Fallowfield, Thursdays 2pm-4pm.

For more information click on the PDF below to read more...

Acceptance Awareness Awakening (AAA)

Updated: 14/11/08

60KB

Every quarter, the "Know Your Limits" Stakeholder Newsletter features a local campaign which uses an innovative approach to raise public awareness. Our "Drink Smart" campaign which includes a new self-help guide and new text subscription service is the winner for this quarter. For your free copy, text SMART to 80480 or contact Liz Burns 0161 882 2300 LINK www.alcoholstakeholders.nhs.uk/stake_stake_campaignQuarter.html

Drink Smart Newsletter - August	Updated: 10/09/08	84KB
Drink Smart Self Help Guide	Updated: 10/09/08	2.5MB

Post-Christmas Blues? Manchester Public Health Development Service launch new text subscription service for “Drink Smart” self-help guide……..

Drink Smart Flyer

Updated: 17/01/08

168KB

As we approach the winter months we must continue our focus on Manchester's Safe Sleeping Practice for Infants. The advice has been sucessfully shared across the city over the past two years. It is crucial that new families, staff members and anyone giving advice are confident that carers of babies know the guidelines and can make safe choices for the infants in their care.

The website is always helpful and has some useful resources. www.fsid.org.uk

Safe Sleeping Practice for Infants Sept 05	Updated: 08/11/07	52KB
Room Share Card	Updated: 08/11/07	148KB

Manchester’s winter anti-drink driving campaign was launched at Manchester Town Hall on Monday 3 December 2007, using the slogan ‘Too much booze – lots to lose’. The campaign is being run by the PCT’s Public Health Development Service in partnership with Manchester’s Road Safety team.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Christmas is a time to look forward to, yet every year for some people it turns into a disaster as they’re involved in a drink driving accident.

Unfortunately the numbers of fatal accidents are once again on the rise after falling significantly towards the end of the 1990’s, showing that some drivers are still willing to take the risk for the questionable convenience of having the car to get home in.

Becoming a responsible drinker doesn’t mean not having fun, it just means making a rule never to mix drinking with driving, and it’s just not worth the risk. Even a small amount of alcohol affects a person’s judgements and reactions. You can’t measure how safe you are. Almost 1/6th of drivers convicted of drink driving are caught the morning after the drinking.

If you are caught drink driving you will be banned from driving for 12 months, receive a £5,000 fine, lose your job and risk yours or other people’s lives.

Manchester Primary Care Trust has responsibility in supporting residents in the city to live a safe and healthy lifestyle. We provide access to the highest level and quality of care when needed.

This year’s campaign ‘too much booze – lots to lose’, aims to encourage you to leave your car at home and use public transport – bus, tram, train or taxi if you plan to drink alcohol.

Don’t make Christmastime a disaster for you and your family – don’t use your car if you’re going to drink, don’t offer another driver a drink, and don’t get into a car with someone you know to have been drinking. Do enjoy Christmas and look forward to a great New Year.

For more information on the anti drink driving campaign visit

Manchester City Council
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=3341

Know You Limit
http://www.knowyourlimit.co.uk

Xfm Radio Manchester
http://www.xfmmanchester.co.uk/

Contact Joan Tipping, Public Health Development Advisor for Alcohol, for leaflets on alcohol limits in your system the morning after drinking alcohol – tel: 0161 861 2900.

The deadline for the consultation is 14th January 2008. Comments should be sent to the DAST at dast@manchester.gov.uk. Click below for the draft strategy and consultation questionnaire.

Consultation Questionnaire on Draft Alcohol Strategy 2008-11	Updated: 23/10/07	52KB
Draft Alcohol Strategy (22-10-07)	Updated: 23/10/07	624KB

New lunchtime support group for families/carers of people who use alcohol or drugs …

Lunchtime Support Group

Updated: 28/09/07

104KB

“How much is too much” publications range (DoH) removed from circulation …

Letter of Recall

Updated: 31/07

20KB

Alcohol Treatment in Manchester: Your Views

A website has been set up to gather people’s views, opinions or experiences of alcohol treatment services in the Manchester City Council area.

Have you noticed any change in the patterns of alcohol use in Manchester in the last five or ten years such as numbers of people drinking, the way people drink, the people who are drinking? How do you think alcohol treatment services should develop over the next ten years? What services should be increased, what should be decreased, what new services should be provided? Are you aware of any gaps in services: both types of treatment/support or gaps for certain people/communities?

Your comments are valuable and will help us to provide better services in Manchester in the future. http://manchesteralcohol.blogspot.com/ The website has been set up by Manchester Drug and Alcohol Strategy Team.