NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE: ALCOHOL

The National Audit Office has published a report on Reducing Alcohol Harm: health services in England for alcohol misuse. 

The report found that a quarter of Primary Care Trusts had not accurately assessed the alcohol problems in their area and that many do not have a strategy for alcohol harm, or a clear picture of their spending on services to address it.  In addition the report found that the local provision of specialist services is not based on a good understanding of communities’ needs and that there are wide variations between localities. 

Alcohol Concern CEO Don Shenker commented that it “confirms that there are wide discrepancies between waiting times and access to treatment between different localities in England.  People with alcohol problems still face a postcode lottery of access to alcohol services”. 

 The National Audit Office report can be downloaded by clicking here. 

Alcohol Concern’s press release is available on the AC website here.