Alcohol Concern Responds to Government’s Assessment of Need for Alcohol Treatment

1st November 2005 - For Immediate Release

Commenting in response to the government?s publication of the Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project (ANARP), Geethika Jayatilaka, Alcohol Concern?s Director of Policy and Public Affairs, said:

?The needs assessment is shocking evidence backing up what we have known for some time - that there is simply not enough help available for problem drinkers. Today?s report shows that only 1 in 18 of those who need help are able to access it, which is clearly unacceptable.

The regional variations in these numbers demonstrates the extent of the postcode lottery; with the North East, for example, only able to offer help to 1 in 100 of those who need it.

The report also highlights the contradiction that although alcohol is a bigger problem than drugs at a local level, there is far less funding available. Even drug co-ordinators who have been tasked by the government to deliver the drugs strategy locally reported that demand for alcohol services was generally greater than supply and that budgets for alcohol services are generally lower than those for drugs services, although they perceived the problem to be greater.

This is yet more evidence to support our campaign to make alcohol treatment a higher priority for the country as a whole and for local communities. National government and local decision-makers need to listen: it?s time to invest in alcohol treatment.?

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

· The ANARP was launched today at Alcohol Concern?s Annual Conference by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, Caroline Flint MP.

· The ANARP showed that on average 1 in 18 of those in need of treatment were able to access it. This figure varied widely across the regions, with only 1 in 102 people in need accessing treatment in the North East (the lowest access region) and 1 in 12 people accessing treatment in the North West.

· Today, Alcohol Concern launched their Spend £1, Get £5 Free! campaign, calling for alcohol treatment to be a higher priority.

· Alcohol misuse costs the UK £18 billion a year, with £1.7 billion spent by the NHS and £7.3 billion spent on crime and disorder.

· The recent UKAT Trial found that every £1 spent on treating problem drinkers saves £5 in other areas.

· For all enquiries or to speak to Geethika Jayatilaka, please contact the Alcohol Concern Press Office on 020 7928 7377 or email press@alcoholconcern.org.uk . For out of hours press enquiries, please call 07866 063013.

Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse. We work to reduce the incidence and cost of alcohol-related harm and to increase the range and quality of services available to people with alcohol-related problems and their families.

Date: 01 November 2005