£36M INVESTMENT TO HELP NHS TACKLE ALCOHOL ABUSE

£36M INVESTMENT TO HELP NHS TACKLE ALCOHOL ABUSE

Michael Matheson MSP has welcomed the announcement today by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon of a £36 million investment in NHS treatments for alcohol abuse.

The funding from the Scottish Government will help local NHS boards maintain and expand prevention, treatment and support services to tackle harmful drinking habits.

SNP MSP Mr Matheson, a member of the Scottish Parliament's Health Committee, said:

"The development and expansion of NHS treatments and services to tackle alcohol misuse is a key element of the SNP's radical package of measures to address the harm that excessive drinking causes in Scotland. The new funding announced today will allow local NHS boards to prioritise preventive measures, such as brief interventions, which can help individuals to recognise and address the impact that harmful drinking is having on their health, and to take action before it is too late.

"We should never forget that, as well as the financial toll that it takes on our health and criminal justice systems, alcohol abuse exacts a terrible human cost for too many of our fellow Scots, as the soaring alcohol-related death rates of recent years all too graphically show. That's why the SNP is committed to making sure that quick and effective early help is available for everyone who needs it.

"With its comprehensive strategy, combining major investment in services and treatment with legislation to promote responsible drinking and end alcohol being sold at pocket money prices, this SNP government is taking the action that Scotland so badly needs to prevent more Scots' lives being lost and communities blighted by harmful drinking."