Booze help waiting list
Tayside residents with a drink problem are being forced to wait almost five months to be seen by one of the region’s main providers of help.
The waiting list at Tayside Alcohol Problem Service is particularly worrying given this week’s revelation that Dundee is fifth in the UK league table of people claiming invalidity benefit because of alcohol abuse.
Consultant psychiatrist with the service Dr Peter Rice confirmed the waiting time, but said exceptions could be made for urgent cases.
“There is a waiting list for non-urgent cases of about 19 weeks, but, if someone’s case is particularly pressing, they will be seen as quickly as possible,” he said.
The shocking figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions show there are 380 people claiming benefit in Dundee as a result of alcohol abuse. That represents 0.43%, or one in 233, of the working-age population.
The size of the problem in Tayside has already prompted another local organisation to expand the service it offers.
Unlike TAPS, which is run by NHS Tayside, Tayside Council on Alcohol is an independent, voluntary organisation.
Director Frankie Claridge said that TACA does not currently have a waiting list and would be happy to hear from anyone worried about their drinking habits.
“We work very hard to ensure we have no waiting list,” she said. “About eight months ago we recruited a new group of volunteers who are now trained to work, not just in Dundee, but across Tayside.”
Evening Telegraph
<< Home