Joanne McPeake and colleagues explain how staff using a screening test at triage can identify whether any of their patients are hazardous or harmful drinkers

Widespread alcohol misuse has implications for the physical, mental and social health of the population, and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality are problems throughout the UK. One way healthcare practitioners are attempting to reduce alcohol-related harm is to identify patients who misuse alcohol when they attend, or are admitted to, acute care settings. This article gives an overview of the various screening tools that can be used to identify such patients.