NTA release national alcohol treatment statistics 2011-2012

The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) have published national alcohol statistics for 2011 - 31 March 2012: 

• Alcohol treatment in England 2011-12 (NTA commentary report)
• Alcohol treatment 2011-12 Statistical release
• NTA press release

The figures are taken from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and show:

• 108,906 people received alcohol treatment in 2011-12, down 2% from the year before. This includes 74,353 new entrants to treatment during the year, a rise of 1% compared to 2010-11.
• 38,174 people successfully completed their treatment, 6% more than the previous year.
• Most people (38%) referred themselves into treatment, 19% were referred by their GP
• 70% of all those in alcohol treatment were concentrated in the 30 to 54 age range and the average age of a person in treatment was 42. Men accounted for nearly two thirds of the treatment population during the year. By far the biggest ethnic group was white British (88%).

The NTA has been working to support local areas to develop effective alcohol treatment to meet local needs. In April 2013 the NTA will become part of Public Health England (PHE) which will have responsibility for national action on preventing and tackling alcohol misuse. PHE will focus on work to progress the wider development of two key elements of the Alcohol Strategy: Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) and hospital based provision.

See here for a recent report on changes to alcohol treatment recording and alcohol PbR update.

See here for NICE alcohol guidance on treatment and commissioning.