Drinkaware to be audited

The Drinkaware Trust is to undergo an independent review chaired by former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.

A review panel has been appointed to oversee an audit designed to evaluate Drinkaware’s effectiveness in meeting its original objectives, which were to increase awareness of alcohol harm, improve attitudes and change behaviour.

The panel will be chaired by Sir Hugh Taylor, chairman of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.

The other members of the panel are:

• Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Liverpool, honorary consultant physician at the Royal Liverpool University Hospitals, and chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance.

• Jeremy Beadles, corporate relations director, Heineken UK and former chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association

• Chris Heffer, deputy director alcohol and Drugs, Department of Health

• Ben Page, chief executive, Ipsos MORI

Drinkaware was established at the beginning of 2007 as an independent alcohol education charity, funded by cash donations and in-kind support from all sectors of the alcohol industry.

Its board of trustees consists of five members from the industry, five with a health or other professional interest in alcohol and three who have no professional interest in alcohol, including the chair.

It was the subject of an interim review in 2009, which resulted in wider commitments from the industry to fund the organisation and included a commitment to a more major audit and review in 2012.

Since then Drinkaware has achieved a high level of public awareness and its website now attracts over three million unique visitors a year.

Sir Hugh Taylor, chairman of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health

The upcoming audit will form a key input to the development of a strategy for the period to 2020, which will be designed to contribute to progressive reductions in alcohol harm.

The chairman of the panel, Sir Hugh Taylor, said: “This is a timely moment to carry out an independent audit of Drinkaware’s effectiveness.

“The panel’s role is to provide assurance that the audit is comprehensive, takes on board the views of key stakeholders and other key experts and is properly independent; and I believe it is well constituted for that purpose.”

Derek Lewis, chairman of Drinkaware, added: “The establishment of this independent panel, whose members will bring wide experience and deep understanding of the issues involved, is evidence of the trustees’ commitment to ensuring that the current review is rigorous, inclusive and transparent.”