Brief Intervention and Fibroscan for Harmful Drinkers Presenting to the Emergency Department

The investigators plan to assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of an innovative screening (Identification), Brief Intervention, Fibroscan and Self-Referral for Specialist Treatment (IBAFiRST) programme for high risk drinkers in the Emergency Department (ED). IBAFiRST extends existing screening and advice given to people with potential alcohol use disorders (AUD) in ED. Currently patients who drink heavily have brief advice and are asked to refer themselves to community specialist alcohol treatment services (ATS) after leaving ED. A Fibroscan is a safe, quick and reliable ultrasound test to see if there are signs of \"stiffening\" of the liver which can indicate early liver damage. It is recommended as a non-invasive test by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) but is not known to be used within EDs in the UK. The investigators wish to test whether giving the patients the results of this scan will make them more likely to self-refer to ATS. Currently take up rates of ATS are low in this population and too few people are seeking treatment to help them reduce their alcohol intake. Because so little is known about self-referral in ED the investigators are completing a feasibility study before seeking funding for a large scale randomised trial.