Funding boost for alcohol addiction treatment

Published on Wednesday 13 May 2009 13:11

HEALTH chiefs are get more cash to fight the scourge of alcohol abuse, the Scottish Government said today.

Health boards will receive 36 million this year, compared with less than 25 million last year.

The biggest single handout will go to Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which will get more than 9 million.

The next biggest handout, 5.3 million, will go to Lothian health board.

Most of the money will be spent on treatment for people whose alcohol problems have been identified.

But some will be spent on "brief interventions" – asking people who turn up at GP surgeries and other health premises with problems, that could be drink-related, about their intake and offering advice.

The shareout was announced when Public Health Minister Shona Robison visited an alcohol counselling service based in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire.

Ms Robison said: "Scotland's alcohol misuse problem is costing our country 2.25 billion and blighting the lives of families and communities across the country.

"This further significant investment will help to turn lives around across Scotland by identifying and treating people in need of help.

"And that's good for everyone because if we can tackle problems head-on we can prevent a lot of misery to individuals and families, as well as knock-on costs for the taxpayer."