Next government must urgently improve alcohol treatment services to prevent avoidable deaths, says Priory addiction specialist
Date: 28th June 2024
A senior expert at Priory has called on the next government to urgently improve the UK’s alcohol and addiction treatment services to help prevent avoidable deaths as the crisis continues to escalate.
Dr Niall Campbell, a consultant psychiatrist based at Priory Hospital Roehampton, spoke out ahead of Alcohol Awareness Week (1-7 July 2024) which carries the theme of 'understanding alcohol harm' and as the general election campaign comes to a head on Thursday (4 July).
It comes as addiction treatment specialists at Priory - the UK largest independent provider of mental health services – are seeing increasing numbers of patients suffering from alcohol dependence.
“Alcohol deaths are at an all-time high and in my clinics every day I am witnessing an ever-increasing problem,” explained Dr Campbell. “The NHS and local authorities unfortunately do not provide the level of alcohol treatment services required by the UK population, the funding and subsequent provision does not exist for it.
“If, for example, cancer services were so poorly funded there would be a national outcry, yet alcohol is the biggest risk factor for premature death, ill-health and disability among 15 to 49 year-olds in this country and there is not sufficient care and treatment available, so people are being left to die as a result. There is also a huge impact on families and social factors.”
In England alone it is estimated there are 602,391 dependent drinkers, of whom 82% are not currently receiving treatment.
Dr Campbell added: “There are 10,000 recorded premature deaths from alcohol a year, the highest number we’ve ever seen but, in reality, many, many more people are dying from alcohol misuse than these official figures show.
“Alcohol is a causal factor in so many different medical conditions, so factors such as liver disease are often cited on death certificates. This dramatically masks the scale of the crisis.
“Make no mistake, there is no bigger health crisis facing the NHS than this one. It is absolutely critical that the next government addresses this urgent problem.”
Priory has called for the incoming government to deliver improved access to and provision of addiction services, including greater support for people with co-existing mental health conditions by developing a national treatment programme that ensures equal access to appropriate services for all and much earlier.
Rebekah Cresswell, chief executive of Priory, has written to all main political parties outlining the issue as part of an eight-point plan the incoming government must address.
She said: “The evidence of the link between co-existing mental health and alcohol and drug misuse is unequivocal but the UK is still failing to address this growing problem and there is currently no national plan to improve access and provision. This disease has a devastating impact on families and communities and impacts on all public services.
“Through the development of our private addiction services over many years, we have developed a system which provides co-located inpatient detox, therapy, mental health and supported living expertise for this vulnerable patient group… a truly integrated service with positive measured outcomes.
“This is a model that works and the country must now look at how it can be extended to all of those in need. This is something we are keen to support and I urge the new government to work with us to make it happen.”
Dr Campbell added: “At Priory, we have learnt over many years that our services need to offer integrated support for addiction and mental health conditions. We know this model works. It really should now form part of a national treatment programme.”
ENDS
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About Priory and MEDIAN Group
Priory is the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health and adult social care services. Priory treats more than 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictions and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across its nationwide network of sites. Priory also supports autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within specialist residential care and supported living facilities – helping as many people as possible to live their lives.
Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, the leading European provider of high-quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises: Priory in the UK with 290 facilities and 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people, MEDIAN in Germany with 120 facilities and 20,000 beds caring for around 250,000 patients, and Hestia in Spain with 15 facilities and 2,100 beds caring for 11,000 people in Spain, with more than 29,000 employees across the group.