The number of alcohol related deaths in West Lothian has remained far higher than pre-pandemic levels, despite a drop in the last year.
A meeting of West Lothian’s Health and Social Care Partnership Integrated Joint Board heard that there were 1,245 alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland in 2021, an increase of 5% (55 deaths) in 2020.
In West Lothian 40 deaths were alcohol related - down from 45 in 202,0 but still far higher than 28 deaths in 2019.
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Mike Reid, General Manager – HSCP Mental Health and Addictions services told the meeting: “That puts us at around the Scottish average.”
He added: “The Scottish Government is introducing a new pathway and that’s why we're not making radical changes to our pathway at the moment . What we’re doing is doing more of the same more efficiently and more timeously.
“We're ensuring that anyone who needs alcohol counselling can receive that within 21 days of referral. There's been some other improvements too. Anyone who needs detox can get a bed within 12 weeks and there are more residential rehab placements.”
West Lothian has been able to increase its access to out-of-area placements because of increased funding.
In his report to the IJB Mr Reid added: “A short life working group has been established by a senior nurse within West Lothian’s Community Addictions Service to review the existing alcohol pathway. It is hoped that this review will lead to efficiencies and improvements in the pathway to ensure that people get to the right part of the system more quickly and access the right sort of care.
“Residential rehab is a treatment for those people most at risk from harm from alcohol who cannot achieve abstinence through community input alone. On 21 February the Drugs Policy Minister wrote to IJB Chief Officers noting three strands to improve access to residential rehab for recovery from drug or alcohol addiction including improving local systems to access rehab, increasing places across Scotland and a monitoring, evaluation and research programme. She has committed to a 300% increase across Scotland in access to residential rehabilitation and a 50% increase in places.”
Answering questions on the success rate of rehab, and whether there are positive influences from the alcohol pricing initiative
Rehab success rates vary between 50% to 80% depending on the form of treatment. The Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (Leap), a quasi residential rehab facility is trying to improve success rate by offering more spaces, and improving peer support for those who progress.
In regard to the influence of the minimum pricing initiative which was designed to lift the price of alcohol related to its strength Mr Reid said “ I know there is work going on to explore that nationally but I don’t know details.”
According to the Scottish Government its modelling estimates that over the first five-year period of minimum unit pricing there will be 400 fewer alcohol-related deaths and 8,000 fewer alcohol-related hospital admissions.
Minimum unit pricing is designed to impact most on harmful drinkers - those who regularly drink more than the lower risk drinking guidelines.
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