Alcoholics ‘left without help’
Chronic underfunding of alcohol services is leaving thousands of people to overcome their addiction without support, the charity Alcohol Concern has warned.
In its report published today “Commission on the Future of Alcohol Service” the charity claims that support services for problem drinkers take 100,000 referrals a year. According to the report, a further 200,000 people are likely to need help.
The report argues that the Government has placed far too low priority on alcoholism support services, spending £95 mn on alcohol services in comparison £1.5 on drug treatment services, despite the mortality rate stemming from alcohol abuse in the UK being three times that caused by drug abuse. The report recommends spending on alcohol counselling and treatment should be increased to £300m.
The report voices concern that many frontline medical staff including GPs are inadequately trained to help patients with alcohol abuse problems. Bar staff, too should receive better training, the Commission recommended.
In addition, better public transport to discourage late night drinkers from driving home.
Director of policies and services at Alcohol Concern, Richard Phillips, today stated: “Our findings show there are hundreds of thousands of others who simply have nowhere to turn for help.”
“There is a worrying mismatch between the demand for help and its availability – not just in terms of volume but also the type and location of services.”
At its “Legal But Lethal Conference” last week, Alcohol Concern stated that it believes alcohol is directly attributable to 30,000 deaths a year in the UK, with chief executive of the charity Eric Appleby describing levels of problem drinking in the UK as an “alcohol timebomb.”
