North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called for a Statement from the Health Minister on alcohol misuse by older people in Wales.
Two weeks ago, Mr Isherwood sponsored and spoke at the launch event for the Drink Wise, Age Well Programme's 'Calling Time for Change' Charter, held in the Assembly's Pierhead building, at which he referred to findings that in Wales those aged 65 and over are the only age group where drinking above the daily guidelines is increasing.
Speaking in today’s Business Statement, he requested a Statement on the issue from the Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething AM.
He said:
“The ‘Calling Time for Change' Charter is looking to reduce the harms caused by alcohol in older adults across Wales, working with members of the Charter Advocacy Group, all of whom are volunteers with lived experience of alcohol.
“After first getting together as an Advocacy Group, the Charter is the culmination of 12 months of their hard work. An important ethos of the Programme is that people should not merely be passive recipients of support, but active participants in their own and others' well-being and recovery.
“Worryingly, the (‘Calling Time’) report ‘Addressing ageism and age discrimination in alcohol policy, practice and research’, found that more than 4 million Britons over 50 think they should cut back on the amount of alcohol they drink, and that, in Wales, those aged 65 and over are the only age group where drinking above the daily guidelines is increasing. I call for a Statement from the Health Minister accordingly.”
Responding, the Trefnydd, Rebecca Evans AM, said: “Your point about the Drink Wise, Age Well campaign and alcohol misuse amongst older people is very well made, and I know that it's something that the Health Minister is keen to address through the substance misuse delivery plan, but I will ask him to provide you with the latest update on that.”
