Today, the government has published the latest statistics on the number of people engaged in treatment for issues related to use of alcohol or other drugs. The overall number of people in treatment (329,646) increased by 6% since last year, and represents the highest number of adults in treatment since reporting began.
Dr Will Haydock, Chief Executive of Collective Voice, the national alliance of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery charities, released the following statement:
Charities have delivered a prompt return on investment. Treatment saves lives.
“These figures show real progress and demonstrate that charities can deliver a swift, effective return on investment.
“Dame Carol Black’s independent review in 2021 recommended a five-year plan of investment, which started in 2022.[i] Today’s statistics show that after just three years of targeted investment, more people are now being supported than at any point on record.
“This is an impressive turnaround, and represents a real impact: treatment saves lives.[ii] This isn’t just good news for the people we’re directly supporting, but also their families, friends and communities. If we get treatment right, there will be less crime, fewer children will need to be taken into care, pressure will be taken off a criminal justice system in crisis, and people will attend stretched A&E departments less often.[iii]
These gains are now at risk, because the Government has abandoned the recommendations of the Independent Review of Drugs.
“Following the 2024 election, the new Government paused the planned investment programme, freezing funding at year three levels rather than continuing to follow the path laid out by the Independent Review.
“Sadly, the reality is that a freeze in funding must eventually lead to cuts in services, given the additional pressures being placed on charities. There have been inflationary pressures on running costs, increases in employer National Insurance contributions, unfunded increases to community pharmacy charges, cost of living increases in wages, and changes to VAT policy.
The time to act is now
“The time has now come to press play once again on this invaluable work that saves lives and helps communities and the economy thrive, reducing pressure on the NHS, the criminal justice system and wider public services, including social care.
“We must not delay taking action on this fatal issue. We are seeing the highest rates of drug-related deaths ever recorded[iv], and with the emergence of synthetic opioids in the UK, the National Crime Agency has stated that ‘there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs’.[v]
“The Government has stated that the current approach to healthcare is ‘unsustainable’[vi] and the criminal justice system is on ‘the brink of collapse’.[vii] If we are to address these issues, we must talk about alcohol and other drugs.
“As Dame Carol explained back in 2021, ‘Government faces an unavoidable choice: invest in tackling the problem or keep paying for the consequences.’ This is an urgent call for the current Government to make the right choice and tackle the problems related to alcohol and other drugs head on by re-starting the programme of investment recommended in the independent review.”
Notes:
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/independent-review-of-drugs-by-professor-dame-carol-black
[ii] Sordo et al (2017) “Mortality risk during and after opioid substitution treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies”, British Medical Journal, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j1550
[iii] Dame Carol Black’s review stated that Official estimates published in 2018 suggested that substance use treatment provided £2.4bn benefits, with £4 return on every £1 invested in drug treatment totalling £21 over 10 years, and £3 return on alcohol treatment totalling £26 over 10 years. See also https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-and-drug-prevention-treatment-and-recovery-why-invest/alcohol-and-drug-prevention-treatment-and-recovery-why-invest
[iv] https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales2024registrations
[v] https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/there-has-never-been-a-more-dangerous-time-to-take-drugs-says-national-crime-agency-as-annual-threat-assessment-is-published
[vi] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/secretary-of-states-address-to-the-nhs-providers-conference
[vii] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deputy-prime-minister-to-announce-swift-and-fair-justice#:~:text=The%20Deputy%20Prime%20Minister%20and,to%20the%20brink%20of%20collapse.
Collective Voice responds to the latest statistics on treatment for alcohol and other drug issues
Today, the government has published the latest statistics on the number of people engaged in treatment for issues related to use of alcohol or other drugs. The overall number of people in treatment (329,646) increased by 6% since last year, and represents the highest number of adults in treatment since reporting began.
Dr Will Haydock, Chief Executive of Collective Voice, the national alliance of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery charities, released the following statement:
Charities have delivered a prompt return on investment. Treatment saves lives.
“These figures show real progress and demonstrate that charities can deliver a swift, effective return on investment.
“Dame Carol Black’s independent review in 2021 recommended a five-year plan of investment, which started in 2022.[i] Today’s statistics show that after just three years of targeted investment, more people are now being supported than at any point on record.
“This is an impressive turnaround, and represents a real impact: treatment saves lives.[ii] This isn’t just good news for the people we’re directly supporting, but also their families, friends and communities. If we get treatment right, there will be less crime, fewer children will need to be taken into care, pressure will be taken off a criminal justice system in crisis, and people will attend stretched A&E departments less often.[iii]
These gains are now at risk, because the Government has abandoned the recommendations of the Independent Review of Drugs.
“Following the 2024 election, the new Government paused the planned investment programme, freezing funding at year three levels rather than continuing to follow the path laid out by the Independent Review.
“Sadly, the reality is that a freeze in funding must eventually lead to cuts in services, given the additional pressures being placed on charities. There have been inflationary pressures on running costs, increases in employer National Insurance contributions, unfunded increases to community pharmacy charges, cost of living increases in wages, and changes to VAT policy.
The time to act is now
“The time has now come to press play once again on this invaluable work that saves lives and helps communities and the economy thrive, reducing pressure on the NHS, the criminal justice system and wider public services, including social care.
“We must not delay taking action on this fatal issue. We are seeing the highest rates of drug-related deaths ever recorded[iv], and with the emergence of synthetic opioids in the UK, the National Crime Agency has stated that ‘there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs’.[v]
“The Government has stated that the current approach to healthcare is ‘unsustainable’[vi] and the criminal justice system is on ‘the brink of collapse’.[vii] If we are to address these issues, we must talk about alcohol and other drugs.
“As Dame Carol explained back in 2021, ‘Government faces an unavoidable choice: invest in tackling the problem or keep paying for the consequences.’ This is an urgent call for the current Government to make the right choice and tackle the problems related to alcohol and other drugs head on by re-starting the programme of investment recommended in the independent review.”
Notes:
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/independent-review-of-drugs-by-professor-dame-carol-black
[ii] Sordo et al (2017) “Mortality risk during and after opioid substitution treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies”, British Medical Journal, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j1550
[iii] Dame Carol Black’s review stated that Official estimates published in 2018 suggested that substance use treatment provided £2.4bn benefits, with £4 return on every £1 invested in drug treatment totalling £21 over 10 years, and £3 return on alcohol treatment totalling £26 over 10 years. See also https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-and-drug-prevention-treatment-and-recovery-why-invest/alcohol-and-drug-prevention-treatment-and-recovery-why-invest
[iv] https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales2024registrations
[v] https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/there-has-never-been-a-more-dangerous-time-to-take-drugs-says-national-crime-agency-as-annual-threat-assessment-is-published
[vi] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/secretary-of-states-address-to-the-nhs-providers-conference
[vii] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deputy-prime-minister-to-announce-swift-and-fair-justice#:~:text=The%20Deputy%20Prime%20Minister%20and,to%20the%20brink%20of%20collapse.
Related Content
Ketamine: Current challenges, successes and next steps for treatment
The meeting showed the importance of bringing people together to share successes, as well as challenges faced, and to discuss potential ways forward. Video of
Collective Voice responds to the Government’s Men’s Health Strategy
If the Government is serious about improving men’s health it must provide the leadership and investment required to reduce deaths and health harm related to
Collective Voice calls on Government to accept and implement the recommendations of the Justice Committee inquiry on drugs in prisons
We call on the Government to accept the key recommendations of the inquiry and work with stakeholders – including our members – to implement them