Only one in 18 alcoholics receiving NHS help
A public accounts committee (PAC) report has revealed that only one in eighteen of those with an alcohol abuse problem are getting the help they need from the NHS, reports the Guardian.
On average the NHS spends around £1,744 per head on drug addicts, however, for heavy drinkers the figure is £197 per head. The report also revealed that the level of support varied in different parts of the country.
The chairman of PAC said he believed that different government departments needed to coordinate better on issues such as tax and licensing, and that the Department of Health should be given control over all alcohol related issues.
The chief executive of Alcohol Concern, Don Shenker, said: “If only one in 18 people [was] receiving treatment for cancer, high blood pressure or diabetes there would be a national outcry. Because alcohol dependency remains an often hidden problem … it receives less funding than it should and people suffer needlessly.”