Drink responsibly and help ease pressure on our services

Don’t end your Christmas night out at the Emergency Unit.

This is a busy time of year for our healthcare colleagues.  

If you’re out and about this weekend, drink responsibly and help ease pressure on our services, to ensure people can get the right care, when they need it.

To do this, you could: 

• Try swapping what you would usually drink for something smaller, for example a smaller glass of wine or a bottle of beer instead of a pint. 

• Try a lower strength drink with fewer units or lower alcohol content (ABV). 

• Alternate between alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, or a glass of water. 

• Only drink alcohol with a meal.

Drinking alcohol in moderation can be enjoyable, but drinking excessively or ‘binge drinking’ can have a harmful effect on our health and wellbeing and on others around us. Sometimes, we don’t effectively keep track of how much we are drinking, and drink more than we intend. 

Regular, heavy drinking can lead to a decline in mental health and wellbeing. Whilst we may feel relaxed after a drink, the long-term effects of alcohol can impact mental health and lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. 

High levels of alcohol consumption within the night-time economy in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan contribute towards alcohol-related violence and crime, and attendances at the Emergency Unit. 

Drink responsibly this weekend and only attend the Emergency Unit if you have a life-threatening illness/serious injury.