In a letter to health secretary Wes Streeting, shared with the PA news agency, academics, medics and charities from around the UK urge ‘ambitious' action to tackle the ‘scale of the current crisis'.

The letter says: ‘As experts from across alcohol policy, health and treatment, we urge you to revisit the current approach to tackling alcohol harm and commit to an ambitious, evidence-based strategy that reflects the scale of the current crisis," the letter states.

‘The 10-Year Health Plan for England offered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shift gear and deliver genuine preventative action that would reverse the rising rates of alcohol-related hospitalisations and deaths we have seen in recent years.

‘While the introduction of mandatory alcohol labelling and increased support for community-led schemes is welcome, these measures alone are not sufficient to address the scale and complexity of harm.'

The letter calls for a series of measures to tackle alcohol harms, including:

– The introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing in England, as seen in Scotland and Wales

– Giving local authorities the power to regulate hours of sale and online deliveries of alcohol

– For advertising regulations for alcohol to be "aligned" with those for foods high in fat, salt and sugar

– A change to alcohol tax, linking duties to inflation and ending "cider exceptionalism"

– More funding and support for local alcohol care teams

The letter is signed by representatives from 34 organisations, including the Alcohol Health Alliance; the Royal College of Physicians; the Royal College of General Practitioners; the Royal College of Emergency Medicine; the Institute of Alcohol Studies; the Royal College of Surgeons of England; the Royal Society for Public Health; the British Society of Gastroenterology; the Association of Anaesthetists; the Association of Directors of Public Health; and the British Medical Association.

The authors conclude: ‘The public want and deserve action, and we stand ready to work with Government to deliver real progress.

‘By taking meaningful and co-ordinated action now, the burden of alcohol harm can fall significantly within the term of this Government, with visible results for families, the NHS, crime, and the economy.'

The call for action comes a month after the 10-Year Health Plan for England was published, which sets out plans to tackle harmful drinking through alcohol labelling, which will include health warning messages.

In response, the DHSC told the PA that it will continue to consider the most effective interventions to reduce alcohol harms. A spokesperson told PA: ‘As we shift from sickness to prevention through our 10-Year Health Plan, we will make it mandatory for alcoholic drinks to display health warnings and nutritional information.

‘To improve drug and alcohol treatment services and recovery support in England, the Government has also provided an additional £310m in 2025/26, on top of the public health grant.'