A new Commons committee report suggests the NHS are only providing support to one in 18 people addicted to alcohol.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report goes on to slate the UK government and health services for failing in their efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm.

The NHS currently spends £1,744 per person on drug addicts but only £197 per person on heavy drinkers. This figure is heavily skewed toward tackling drugs and yet more people suffer illness, disease or injury from alcohol abuse.

The charity ‘Alcohol Concern’ said if the NHS only treated one in 18 people for cancer, high blood pressure or diabetes there’d be a national outcry. Alcohol addiction is still a hidden problem despite its disastrous effects on society. They went on to call for an increase in funding for alcohol-related problems

Conservative MP and PAC chairman Edward Leigh criticised government departments for failing to effectively co-ordinate on issues such as alcohol licensing, taxation and glass measures and called for the Department of Health to take control of such matters.

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