Drinking 'an unsustainable burden on the NHS'

The report, from the NHS Confederation and Royal College of Physicians, says the cost to the NHS of excessive drinking has doubled in the past five years.

It calls for improvements to systems to identify, assess and treat patients with alcohol problems, but also says a wider change in society’s attitudes towards drink is needed.

The bulk of the financial burden is falling on hospitals and ambulance services, which are forced to deal with people who get into difficulties after drinking too much, but there is also a cost in long term health conditions caused by heavy drinking over many years.

NHS Confederation chief executive Steve Barnett said alcohol was putting growing pressure on staff and services.

“The NHS can play a part in ensuring that treatment is provided for people who are exhibiting the early stages of an addiction to alcohol and by running its services more effectively but a reappraisal of social attitudes to drinking is also well overdue,” he said.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are now seeing a real will by the NHS for change and improvement in alcohol services. Two thirds of primary care trusts have adopted reducing alcohol related hospital admissions as a local priority for the first time.

“The department is providing primary care trusts with the support, tools and incentives to deliver alcohol services in their own areas effectively according to local needs.”

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