Scotland faces a turning point in how it tackles alcohol harm through early conversation. Experts, clinicians, researchers and policymakers are joining forces on Wednesday 27 May 2026 to debate the future of Alcohol Brief Interventions Scotland at a landmark summit in Edinburgh. The event runs from 13.30 to 16.30 at the Royal College of Physicians, with a live online stream via Microsoft Teams for those who cannot attend in person.

Professor Aisha Holloway, Scotland’s Chief Nursing Officer, chairs the Future of ABIs Summit 2026. Her leadership in nursing and public health makes her a fitting figurehead for a conversation that touches both clinical practice and national strategy.

Why Alcohol Brief Interventions Scotland Need Attention Right Now

The timing carries real weight. Scotland’s freshly published Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan 2026 to 2035 puts the ABI programme Scotland has built over recent decades squarely back in focus. The plan commits to learning from the 2024 Public Health Scotland ABI review and acting on its recommendations, including expanding ABIs into new settings and improving the tools practitioners use during those conversations.

The figures behind that commitment are stark. Scotland records the highest rate of drug and alcohol deaths in the UK. Close to one in five adults show signs of hazardous or harmful drinking or possible alcohol dependency. Drug and alcohol related deaths hit people aged 35 to 55 hardest, dragging down Scotland’s overall life expectancy figures.

Fresh research adds further urgency. Several recently completed studies have examined different aspects of ABI delivery and effectiveness. Together, they give this summit a rich evidence base to work from.

Speakers Shaping the Future of ABIs in Scotland

The summit brings together a strong group of voices at the sharp end of alcohol brief interventions Scotland wide and beyond.

Dr Tara Shivaji from Public Health Scotland leads on the 2024 ABI review, the document driving much of the current policy direction. Her presentation sets the platform for the day.

Dr Andrea Mohan and Dr Paul Toner, both based at the University of Dundee, draw on recent research into how the ABI programme Scotland delivers in practice and where gaps remain.

Dr Rupali Sachar from NHS Tayside offers a frontline clinical view. She brings direct experience of how brief interventions work inside a busy health system, where time is short and conversations need to count.

Two international contributors round out the speaker list. María Lavilla Gracia and María Pueyo Garrigues bring perspectives from outside Scotland, giving the room a useful point of comparison with how other countries approach brief alcohol interventions.

Every speaker takes questions from the floor. After the presentations close, the summit shifts into structured discussion on the barriers and opportunities facing the ABI programme Scotland now needs to expand.

What Alcohol Brief Interventions Scotland Actually Involve

A brief intervention is a short, structured conversation. A healthcare professional spots signs of risky drinking, raises the subject with the patient, and encourages reflection. The exchange rarely takes more than a few minutes. Primary care settings carry most of the weight, though emergency departments, antenatal services and community venues also play a role.

Their value lies in scale. Brief interventions sit well upstream of specialist treatment. They catch harmful patterns before dependency deepens. Research shows they are cost-effective. Scotland built one of the more ambitious national ABI programmes in Europe, yet the 2024 review identified real limits in current delivery.

The new Strategic Plan responds directly. Expanding the ABI programme Scotland runs into a broader range of settings is a stated priority. Giving practitioners better tools to open and sustain those conversations is another.

Who Should Come to the ABI Programme Scotland Summit

The Future of ABIs Summit 2026 welcomes anyone with a stake in alcohol brief interventions Scotland-wide. Organisers particularly want to hear from people working in NHS primary care, Alcohol and Drug Partnerships, Health and Social Care Partnerships, third sector organisations and professional bodies. Researchers and public health specialists are also encouraged to attend.

The hybrid format reflects the practical realities of frontline work. In-person delegates gather at the Sir John Crofton Room at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh. Those who cannot make the journey join via Teams.

What Happens After the Summit

SHAAP (Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems) hosts the event and produces a written summary of the discussions. That summary goes directly to Scottish Government to inform next steps for alcohol brief interventions in Scotland. Participants also receive a copy.

Scotland’s new Strategic Plan updates on a three-year rolling cycle. Evidence and recommendations from events like this one feed straight into future commitments. For a country still recording the highest alcohol harm figures in the UK, getting the ABI programme Scotland delivers right is not a minor footnote. It is one of the most practical, low-barrier tools the public health system has, and this summit helps decide what it looks like for the decade ahead.

Source: dbrecoveryresources