Public Health England (PHE) have released the latest national statistics for substance misuse 2018/19, indicating no significant change in the numbers receiving alcohol treatment.
The latest figures follow several years of declines in alcohol treatment, but in 2018/19 the number of people receiving alcohol only treatment was 75,555 (versus 75,787 last year). PHE note this follows large year-on-year declines from a peak of 91,651 in 2013/14.
Last year PHE released results from an inquiry into the falling trend in alcohol treatment figures which acknowledged the likely role of ongoing cuts to public health budgets and a loss of focus on alcohol treatment amidst service reconfigurations. In 2018/19 the number of adults entering all substance treatment services increased by 4% from the previous year (127,307 to 132,210), the first rise since 2014, possibly reflecting recent increases in the prevalence of illicit drug use.
Updated estimates for alcohol dependence in England have also been released providing figures for each local authority and a total of 586,780 for England. PHE therefore say 82% of adults in need of specialist treatment for alcohol were not receiving it. However, these estimates are based on moderate to severe dependency criteria which PHE define as the group 'potentially in need of specialist treatment', though a further 1.3 million harmful drinkers may be argued to be in need of specialist interventions beyond simple brief interventions.
In 2018 Alcohol Change UK released a report “The hardest hit: addressing the crisis in alcohol treatment services”, calling for action to address the many issues arising from funding cuts and other challenges facing the sector. A number of recommendations included calls for an independent review of alcohol commissioning, and that Government partners 'establish effective systems for transparently monitoring the scale of ongoing investment.' Responding to the latest figures, the Local Government Association said "the next government must provide sustainable, long-term funding for councils’ public health services to help relieve pressures on the NHS and criminal justice system further down the line.”
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