Revealed - the cost of alcohol abuse

The full impact of alcohol abuse on the health and quality of life of people in Essex has been revealed by shocking new statistics.

The figures form part of a report which is due to be presented to county councillors and urges them to target alcohol-related problems as a priority.

The Essex Drug and Alcohol Action Team report showed:

* 88% of criminal damage and 78% of all assaults were due to the influence of alcohol;

* out of 966 deaths or serious injuries on the county's roads, 387 were attributable to alcohol use;

* 31% of traders are prepared to sell alcohol to underage drinkers;

* as many as one in three cases of domestic violence are connected to alcohol.

EDAAT is now calling for the issue to be part of the revised Local Area Agreement (LAA), which is a list of future priorities for action agreed by the county's key public organisations and central Government.

Members of the Adult Social Care Policy Development Group at Essex County Council will discuss the report at their meeting tomorrow morning.

The report also highlighted figures provided by the Eastern Region Public Health Observatory which estimated that in its area the abuse of alcohol annually cost £6.4 billion in the workplace, £7.13 billion in terms of crime and disorder and £1.7 billion to the health service.

It also had effects on schoolchildren missing classes, contributed to littering, and was the main reason that many people keep away from town centres in Essex late at night.

Clare Butler, strategic manager for EDAAT, who wrote the report, said the issue was not given the importance it deserved - but stressed this was a national problem.

She said inclusion in the LAA would make it easier for EDAAT, which is funded by a number of different organisations, to apply for money for dedicated resources to help people with alcohol problems.

In her report Miss Butler said there was “a significant gap between the provision of alcohol treatment and demand”.

Miss Butler said last night: “The whole purpose is to raise awareness and look to increase resources within the team so we can begin to co-ordinate an effective partnership approach working on alcohol misuse.

“If included in the LAA I would have a much stronger case to go and get additional funding dedicated just within my team and having those dedicated resources would then mean being able to increase funding and service development for people who need support.”

EADT