Call to introduce elderly booze screening

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An alcohol advisory group wants everyone who visits their GP to be screened for harmful alcohol use.

A report by Royal College Psychiatrists in Britain is calling for everyone over the age of 65 to be screened for abuse of drugs including alcohol.

Research from the College stated that older people are less able to process alcohol, recommending that the government lower the recommended drinking limit for older people to just 1.5 units per day.

ALAC's early intervention manager, Sue Paton, wants that here as well, but not just for older people.

"We would take that further, we would say that all of the population should be screened for alcohol abuse," says Ms Paton.

She says an initiative underway in Whanganui has been successful in screening half of all patients aged 15 and over.

- Newstalk ZB