Attitudes to Alcohol & Alcohol Services in Blackpool

One of the key aims of the Blackpool Alcohol Prevention and Harm Reduction Strategy is to improve access to, and engagement with, alcohol treatment, recovery, and aftercare services. Currently, treatment numbers are lower than they were, and successful outcomes have declined. Due to this, Public Health aim to expand evidence based treatment options, particularly for underrepresented groups including women, older adults and LGBT+ people. Healthwatch Blackpool were commissioned by Public Health Blackpool to engage with these underrepresented groups, to understand their views on alcohol behaviours and their experiences of services locally. Healthwatch Blackpool utilised a mixed-methods approach, including online surveys, focus groups, and interviews, to understand their experiences and perceptions of alcohol culture and service provision. Engagements were conducted between September 2024 and February 2025 and involved extensive community outreach, including partnerships with local services, distribution of materials in various locations, and adapted engagement strategies like door-knocking to reach older adults who were identified within early insights as being underrepresented. This report recommends improving service accessibility and quality, promoting education and awareness, actively involving individuals with lived experience, and developing targeted support and outreach for women, older adults, and the LGBT+ community.