Parliament

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Health and Social Care inquiry on the prevention of harm from alcohol

On 6 February 2024, National FASD’s Chief Executive provided oral evidence to the Health and Social Care committee about the prevention of harm from alcohol exposed pregnancies and the prevention of further harm from undiagnosed and unrecognised FASD. Some excerpts are below.

Much of the important work in the House of Commons is done through Select Committees, which examine issues in great depth and prepare reports which are often influential in government policy making.

The key committees for FASD are

Education
the Home Affairs Committee for work on Policing
Justice for work on the Courts and Prisons
Health and Social Care
Work and Pensions for work on benefits and rights at work, and
Women and Equlities for work on the rights of people with disabilities including FASD.

In addition, there is an All Party Group on FASD, chaired by Bill Esterson MP. All Party Groups are made up of MPs from many different parties who work together on one particular topic they are interested in. They raise awareness with other MPs and help organisation like NOFAS and other stakeholders to raise FASD issues in Parliament and with government.

APPG on FASD

MPs can ask questions at departmental question times, and also send written questions to Ministers. They are also able to organise debates on different topics. These are all recorded in Hansard – the written record of Parliament.

CONTACT YOUR MP

You can contact your MP via email, regular post, Facebook, Instagram and/or twitter and let them know FASD matters to you and ask where they stand on FASD.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

NICE Quality Standard on FASD (2022)

DHSC FASD Health Needs Assessment for England (2021)

British Medical Association “Alcohol and Pregnancy”

Report from a roundtable discussion with FASD stakeholders, co-chaired by Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins and Mr Bill Esterson, MP in the Houses of Parliament on 23 May 2018

Our Forgotten Children

Report from a roundtable discussion with FASD stakeholders, co-chaired by Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins and Mr Bill Esterson, MP in the Houses of Parliament on 23 May 2018

Hear Our Voices

FASD Stakeholders Share Their Experiences With Policy Makers. Drawing on experiences of more than 50 individuals and families affected by FASD.

Overview of FASD Policy Debate on Alcohol Harm

2 February 2017

KEY FACTS/MESSAGES

This is a critical time to demonstrate political will as the Department of Health, NICE and Scottish SIGN are taking action on FASD.

The UK has the 4th highest rates of alcohol use in pregnancy

Source: Popova et. al

FASD affects more people than Autism, Downs Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy combined

Source: CANFASD

A recent screening study at Bristol University showed FASD may affect more than 6% in the UK but actual UK numbers are unknown

Source: McQuire et. al

Freedom of information requests showed that CCGs and NHS Trusts do not have policies for how to address FASD.

78% do not provide services for diagnosing FASD in children; 91% don’t provide services for diagnosing adults. Source: NOFAS-UK

POSSIBLE TWEETS/SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

You can tag policymakers in social media.

I stand with those with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the families and professionals supporting them. People with FASD have a right to diagnosis and lifelong support for their neurodevelopmental disability. #FASD

I support healthy pregnancies through increased public awareness of the risks of alcohol in pregnancy. #FASD

National FASD does not endorse any particular political party.

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The National Organisation for FASD, The Priory, High Street
Ware, Hertfordshire. SG12 9AL
England

Helpline: 0208 458 5951

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