EXPERTS looking to help people at risk of hazardous and harmful drinking in Glasgow fear being overwhelmed by demand for the service and have been stunned by the proportion of people already drinking at alarming levels.

The Alcohol Behaviour Change (ABC) project, launched yesterday by Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson, has been taking referrals since earlier in the year of those whom GPs or other health professionals believe may develop a drink problem.

As The Herald reported on Monday, the service aims to reach people whose drinking suggests they may need specialist help later if they do not address their drinking now. Members of the public can also refer themselves for advice from the charity Addaction, which is running the service on behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

However, screening of initial clients shows that many would already qualify for more intensive help.

Everyone seen by the project so far has been assessed using a tool known as Audit, endorsed by the World Health Organisation.

This assesses their drinking using 10 questions measuring factors such as the frequency of drinking, how often they 'binge', how much control they have and how much harm it causes, including injuries and blackouts.

Any score higher than 20 would normally see someone classified as "possibly dependent", according to Julie Breslin, ABC service manager.

While transatlantic studies suggest 5%-10% of patients might be in this category, the proportion of those referred for early help with drink in Glasgow has been 75%.

"We thought if we were getting people who scored 20 or over we would be referring them to a specialist alcohol service such as medical detox," she said. "These are people referred as hazardous or harmful drinkers yet their Audit scores suggest possible dependence."

Now Ms Breslin is calling for more research to assess whether the internationally recognised tool is useful in a West of Scotland context. "We don't want to make it so people in Glasgow can drink more. That would send out the wrong message."

Speaking at the official opening, John Goldie, head of addictions at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, added: "We are only too aware of Scotland and particularly Glasgow's complex relationship with alcohol and the consequences."