1. Advice on screening, risk assessment, and intervention at a primary health care level is available. Interventions at a general practice level reduce alcohol consumption and are as effective as and cheaper than specialist treatment.'920 The first stage is for general practitioners to record alcohol consumption, and the target for the year 2000 should be that 95% of people aged over 18 years should have a general practitioner health record which includes alcohol consumption. I surveyed 20000 medical records among 20 general practices within the Oxford region in 1989 and found that only 7% of notes contained a dated record of a quantitative measure of alcohol consumption
2. Secretary of State for Health. Health of the nation,1991
3. General Practitioners. Alcohol-a balanced view;of, Royal College,1986
4. Alcohol-ourfavouritedrug;Psychiatrists, Royal Collegeof,1986
5. A great and groswing evil. The medical consequences ofalcohol abuse;of Physicians, Royal College,1987