NICE has published a clinical guideline (CG100) on the care of adults and young people (aged 10 years and older) who have any of the following alcohol-related conditions:

• acute alcohol withdrawal, alcohol-related seizures and delirium tremens
• Wernicke’s encephalopathy
• liver disease and
• acute and chronic pancreatitis.

The key priorities for implementation are (taken directly from source):

Acute alcohol withdrawal
• For people in acute alcohol withdrawal with, or who are assessed to be at high risk of developing, alcohol withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens, offer admission to hospital for medically assisted alcohol withdrawal.
• Healthcare professionals who care for people in acute alcohol withdrawal should be skilled in the assessment and monitoring of withdrawal symptoms and signs.
• Follow a symptom-triggered regimen for drug treatment for people in acute alcohol withdrawal who are:
− in hospital or
− in other settings where 24-hour assessment and monitoring are available.

Alcohol-related liver disease
• Refer patients with decompensated liver disease to be considered for assessment for liver transplantation if they:
− still have decompensated liver disease after best management and 3 months’ abstinence from alcohol and
− are otherwise suitable candidates for liver transplantation.

Alcohol-related pancreatitis
• Refer people with pain from chronic alcohol-related pancreatitis to a specialist centre for multidisciplinary assessment.