Alcohol services in Scotland "largely inadequate" warns support service
A report found a lack of funding has made care teams inconsistent across Scotland
An alcohol recovery support service is warning people face a “postcode lottery” for the effectiveness of support, because of inconsistent funding for care teams.
Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) has urged the Scottish Government to “rapidly improve” the provision and impact of teams, saying many patients do not receive meaningful support in their recovery.
A review was conducted by Figure 8 Consultancy on behalf of SHAAP, and found there were more than 35,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions from 2021-2022.
It showed there was a “wide variation in the nature and capacity of alcohol services in acute hospitals in Scotland”, due to the lack of funding in some areas.
More than 100 patients a day admitted to hospital for alcohol related issues
SHAAP Chairman Dr Alastair MacGilchrist said: “Over 100 patients are admitted to Scottish hospitals every day due to the direct health effects of alcohol use.
"In addition, many patients admitted with illnesses not directly caused by alcohol are drinking in a hazardous or harmful manner.
"For all these patients, hospital admission is an ideal opportunity to address the alcohol issue and reduce the health and wider problems it causes for each person.”
He warned though that inconsistencies in care offered is adding to patient difficulties.
"Postcode lottery" for patients and care teams
Dr MacGilchrist added: “The effectiveness of alcohol care teams has been known for over a decade, yet this review shows that in Scotland whether that opportunity is grasped is a classic 'postcode lottery', with alcohol services in hospitals revealed to vary from suboptimal to non-existent and with no consistent approach to funding or practice.”
The report found a “lack of standardisation” between health boards, with a reliance on community led alcohol services because of staff shortages and infrastructure issues.
SHAAP is calling on the Scottish Government to take action, Dr MacGilchrist added: “There is a clear need for an agreed consistent approach which will require national and local commitment and clarity of responsibility for planning and delivery.
"This can only happen with increased and more transparent funding.
Ease the "burden placed on the NHS"
"Such an approach will reap benefits not only to those patients with health problems resulting from alcohol use but also, through reduced re-admissions, to an overall easing of the financial burden placed on the NHS.
"The Scottish Government must now work with health boards to set out how it is going to rapidly improve the provision and impact of alcohol care teams in Scotland."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work with the UK Government on developing new UK-wide clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment.
"This guidance will look to introduce new approaches to treatment and will apply to a broad range of settings including primary care, hospital and justice.
"In addition to this, we are engaging with stakeholders to consider feasibility and options to develop alcohol treatment standards specific to Scotland."