| Stepping down as chairman of Tayside Council on Alcohol, Tony Wells said it was no longer acceptable that children as young as 11 were being treated for alcoholism in the region.
Although Mr Wells is standing down, he plans to remain on the TCA’s board of directors.
Last year, 746 people in Dundee, 296 in Perth and Kinross and 433 in Angus were referred to Tayside Council on Alcohol, as the number of people seeking help continues to increase.
“I have written a number of reports as Chairman of TCA, and, as it is my intention to stand down as chairman, I would have welcomed the opportunity of reporting a more positive message,” he said.
“It is very difficult to be positive when you are faced with extremely negative information provided by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, police and the courts. In fact, everywhere you turn there is yet again another headline. This has to be a wake-up call for all of us.
“We can no longer accept an 11-year-old being treated for alcohol poisoning. We need to stem the flow of admissions to hospital, and ever increasing demands made on our Accident and Emergency departments due to alcohol misuse.”
Alcohol abuse workers fear they are losing the battle against problem drinking in Tayside.
“Far too many lives are lost to alcohol abuse,” said Mr Wells.
“A new report into the wide-ranging impact of alcohol misuse across Europe estimates the total social cost of alcohol misuse is as high as that for tobacco. The report also revealed alcohol misuse is one of the most widespread public health problems we are facing within the European Community.
“We know the binge culture in Scotland must be addressed. There has never been a better time for the alcohol industry, the health sector, the police, the fire and rescue and voluntary groups to come together and open the debate on the way forward.
“We need a comprehensive solution to what is fast becoming Scotland’s major health issue.
“I know in Tayside there is a commitment given by all of these agencies to work together to raise awareness of the effects of alcohol (within society) and to look at how we can reduce the scale and societal consequences to the people of Tayside.
“TCA is very firmly part of this multi-agency approach; this organisation has much to offer not only in providing services to communities across Tayside but also in campaigning and influencing decisions.”
Last year a third of people accessing TCA’s services were male — 32% were 16-25.
As well as working directly with the young people, the project tries to involve families.
A significant number of the children are from families where there is a long history of alcohol problems. |
