President: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Royal Devon & Exeter

Hon Sec: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Royal Devon & Exeter

Hon Treasurer: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Taunton & Somerset

South West IBD Network Meeting:

'Complications of IBD'

November 13th 2009
Holiday Inn, Taunton

• Programme [30 Kb]

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Alcohol knowledge and use among pupils at a single Devon school: A web-based pilot study.

W Stableforth¹, A Barton², J Lowes¹.

Torbay District Hospital¹, Peninsula Medical School²

Correspondence to: Dr William Stableforth at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Introduction:

There is a large body of evidence to show that alcohol related liver disease is on the rise in the UK. In 2007, in England + Wales 4,580 people died in England and Wales from alcoholic liver disease. There has been a 41% increase in the number of deaths from alcoholic liver disease between 1999 and 2005 and in the last 30 years, mortality from alcohol related liver disease has risen over 450% in the UK.

Additionally there appears to have been an increase in binge drinking in Western Europe and the USA and this is particularly the case amongst young people. However, there are undoubtedly anomalies in the data that suggest that our overall perception of a rise in alcohol use by young people may be partially influenced by the media. For instance the report on ‘Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2006’ carried out by The National Centre for Social Research and the National Foundation for Educational Research demonstrated that there appeared to be a decline in the percentage of pupils who have never had a proper alcoholic drink from 55% of pupils in 2006 from 60-65% in 1988-1998. Additionally the percentage of pupils who had drunk alcohol in the last 7 days had declined from 26% in 2001 to 21% in 2006.

This very comprehensive report demonstrated a complex picture with regard to alcohol use. However, overall there is no doubt that there is a relative paucity of data on patterns of drinking and alcohol use amongst young people in the UK. Our study set out to obtain local data starting with a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a voluntary anonymous internet-based survey to assess alcohol use and knowledge among pupils aged 11-18 at a single independent Devon secondary school.

• Download full pilot study [ 116 Kb ]

Secretary/Contact: Dr Paul Lynch
Consultant Gastroenterologist
Causeway Hospital
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President: Dr Abraham Varghese
Consultant Gastroenterologist
Causeway Hospital
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Treasurer: Dr Grant Caddy
Consultant Gastroenterologist
Ulster Hospital
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WAGE was founded in 2006 and has since gained momentum representing physicians, surgeons, radiologists, nurses, dietitians and other healthcare professionals giving them a single voice advancing the welfare of patients with gastrointestinal and liver disease within Wales. It is recognised by the Welsh Assembly Government as a National Specialty Advisory Group (NSAG). The Association's object is to improve the care of patients in Wales with gastrointestinal disorders by:

1. Facilitating co-operation between physicians, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and other healthcare professionals caring for patients with gastrointestinal disease.
2. Acting as a forum for disseminating advances in the discipline.
3. Encouraging higher standards of training, education and skill amongst those involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal disease.
4. Promotion of research into gastrointestinal disease and the audit of clinical outcomes.
5. Facilitating and agreeing processes for the drawing up of all-Wales guidelines in gastroenterology.
6. Drawing the attention of the public and the Welsh Assembly Government to the needs of patients with gastrointestinal disease, establishing where necessary a patient/public interface where uncertainties exist regarding the prioritisation of resources.
7. Giving leadership and professional advice in the provision and development of services in gastrointestinal disease in consultation with the Welsh Assembly Government and other bodies.

Membership is open to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals including technicians involving in the care of patients with gastrointestinal disorders including hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Alison Davey at 01633 234226 or on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• www.wage.org.uk

WAGE organises an annual one-day meeting in October each year for its members and interested parties. A one-day annual Spring meeting will be added from March 2012.

Joint meeting: Welsh Association of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy with Association of Upper GI Surgeons – Welsh Chapter - 1st March 2013

Venue: Princess of Wales Hospital Bridgend, Multi Professional Education Centre.

President: Dr PM Goggin

Honorary Secretary: Dr FR Murphy

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