In response to the Public Accounts Committee alcohol treatment services report, Matt Lambert, CEO of the Portman Group – the alcohol social responsibility body and marketing regulator said:
“We are pleased the Committee has focused on alcohol treatment and ensuring that the minority who drink at the heaviest and most harmful rates are able to access the services they need. The Portman Group has long called for measures to be targeted at this minority of people who drink at the most harmful rates and were greatly impacted by the pandemic. The report is a timely and rare reminder of the high level of success of treatment – when people are able to access high quality services their chances of laying a foundation for lasting recover vastly increased.
“We also support the Committee’s calls to tackle the persistent barriers people who drink at the most harmful levels face, including overcoming stigma, improving integrated care, and helping those who also suffer from co-occurring mental health issues.”