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£2.5m boost to beat the booze
THE battle against booze is being boosted by a £2.5million treatment programme to help alcoholics, health chiefs announced today.
Services supporting people with alcohol problems, improving Wearsiders' health and reducing alcohol-related harm, were launched as part of NHS South of Tyne and Wear's Drink Less, Live More campaign.
It is hoped the new services, delivered by existing providers, will help people at an early stage of alcohol-dependency and reduce the burden on Sunderland hospitals.
Wearside is among the top 10 per cent of areas across England with the highest rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions.
Alcohol-related attendances at Sunderland Royal Hospital's accident and emergency department topped 7,000 in 2008/9 – up from almost 6,000 in 2007/8.
This includes patients with an alcohol-related illness or injury or an assault by a person who was drunk.
The new services, launched to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday, include:
lCourts ordering violent criminals to stay off the drink as part of a community or suspended sentences.
lBoosting on-ward visits to help patients with alcohol problems access community treatments to cut hospital re-admissions.
lExtending the North East Regional Alcohol Forum (Neraf) services, which provides mentoring and peer support for people with alcohol problems.
lHelp reformed alcoholics to reintegrate into the community through access to employment, education and training.
lTraining for non-NHS staff to step in and help alcohol abusers at the earliest possible stage.
lMore cash for developing specialist substance misuse professionals in areas such as mental health.
lA new online alcohol help centre.
lDr Alyson Learmonth, who is leading the campaign across NHS South of Tyne and Wear, said: "Levels of drinking in Sunderland are high, even within the North East, and the North East as a region is high nationally.
"We do have a serious problem and that reflects in statistics, with accident and emergency admissions, for example, and a number of other chronic conditions such as heart and liver disease and cancer."
In total, 5.6million has been invested in alcohol services across NHS South of Tyne and Wear, which includes Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead primary care trusts (PCTs).
Dr Kate Lambert, A&E consultant at Sunderland Royal Hospital, welcomes the investment.
She said: "People are not aware alcohol is the third biggest risk factor for disease after smoking and high blood pressure. Higher than obesity.
"There is good evidence that brief interventions work."
For more information, call 0800 328 6728 or text LIVEMORE and your message to 60003 or visit www.drinklesslivemore.co.uk
Case study
MUM-OF-TWO Sandra* says seeking help for her alcohol problem was the difference between life and death.
The 36-year-old, of Sunderland, suffered a drinking problem for 16 years, and was drinking two or three bottles of wine a day.
She used alcohol to help her sleep and generally get through the day after problems at home.
"I was working at the time, and I was going into work drunk," Sandra said.
"People were complaining because I smelt of drink and I ended up saying I'm not coming back to work."
But after seeing her brother die of liver failure as result of years of alcohol abuse, Sandra was spurred into action.
And it was thanks to caring staff at her job centre that she was put in touch with the North East Council on Addictions (Neca).
She said: "I saw what my mum went through when we lost my brother and I just thought I cannot put her through another funeral. It was going to be me next."
Neca put Sandra through a community detox and have since worked with her to keep her off alcohol and get her into positive activities.
Sandra has now been clean for almost six months and taking part in a computer course.
"I'm doing the course because I hope to better myself," Sandra said. "If it were not for Neca I would still be drinking, or worse."
* Sandra's name has been changed to protect her identity.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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