There were around 600,000 people dependent on alcohol in the UK , and around 70 per cent of those had codependent mental health issues , she said – a link that was well-established by Dame Carol Black ’ s report . ‘ Too many people are denied access to alcohol services because of their mental health ,’ she said .

Local authority spending to treat these conditions was around £ 637m in 2021-22 which represented a real term spending cut of 27 per cent since 2014 . There had been an 89 per cent increase in alcohol-related deaths over the last 20 years .

‘ Are we doing enough to tackle the clinical impact of excessive alcohol consumption ?’ asked Dr Yasir Abbasi , consultant psychiatrist and executive medical director at VIA . Clearly not , as he shared that more than 80 per cent of alcohol dependent people were

not in treatment and there had been a 20 per cent increase in alcohol-related deaths since 2020 . ‘ People who are drinking in a dependent fashion are most likely to need a clinical intervention to come off ,’ he said . He also highlighted the links to violent crime and cancer .

Lack of a new alcohol strategy since 2012 and the reduction in funding were driving the statistics , he said . We needed a new strategy to focus on tackling inequalities , provide treatment pathways for people suffering alcohol-related brain damage ( ARBD ), and take an evidence-based approach that included a meaningful discussion around minimum unit pricing . We also needed to focus on early life interventions and disrupting intergenerational transmission .

Providing clear pathways to treatment was a challenge said David Targett , area manager at VIA . NDTMS data showed 100,000 people in treatment with alcohol as a primary issue – preventing even 1 per cent of them needing treatment would have a strong impact . ‘ For those suffering the most harm treatment is an established pathway , but those earlier on in their journey don ’ t want to come to a drug and alcohol service ,’ he said .

Stigma often prevented people accessing alcohol

treatment and many were reluctant to acknowledge that they had a problem . To address this , VIA had been trialling a service in the North West that reduced barriers by offering treatment as ‘ lifestyle guidance ’ rather than a drug and alcohol service . The New Beginnings service took referrals from both professionals and individuals and offered evening appointments , online groups , and telephone or video sessions that fitted around work and other commitments . The service looked at ways people could reduce their drinking while providing support for health and wellbeing . ‘ We need a new alcohol strategy but also a healthy living strategy ,’ said Targett .

Stigma not only created a barrier to people accessing services , but also led to underreporting of alcohol consumption , said Gayleen Winn , head of VIA ’ s young people ’ s service . This was particularly prevalent around family support , with young people often complicit in hiding parental alcohol consumption through fear of social services and the prospect of being placed in care – 2.6m children lived with parents who were drinking at hazardous levels and alcohol-related problems were under the radar .

Early intervention could offer strategies to help them manage and cope . ‘ We need to work with schools to help teachers

look for signs that young people may need support and clearer pathways that encourage parents to seek help ,’ said Winn . ‘ We must intervene earlier , and we need more funding to break the cycle of intergenerational drinking . Let ’ s talk about issues openly and courageously so we can protect our children .’

Sharon Read , a peer mentor at VIA , explained how she had developed a problem with alcohol following early retirement and said that accessing services at VIA had changed her life . From being a ‘ binge drinker ’ who ‘ saw alcohol as the only way I could face things ’, she was now volunteering as a peer mentor and taking qualifications to provide support for other people accessing treatment . ‘ VIA gave me my life back , so I ’ m now giving back ’, she said .

APPG chair Graham Morris MP opened questions and encouraged the group to campaign for action . Among the key issues was the need for independent family support that was not necessarily linked to treatment services . A vital piece of this jigsaw was represented by family services – Adfam CEO Viv Evans highlighted research that showed 5m people were adversely affected by a family member ’ s substance use , and in many cases this substance was alcohol . DDN