Just 6 per cent of people in England who have an alcohol problem are receiving treatment for it, as NICE calls for screening and better access to alcohol withdrawal services.
Over one million people in England are dependent on alcohol, but only a small proportion, around 60,000, currently receives treatment.
In an attempt to improve the situation, NICE has published guidance outlining how the NHS should diagnose, assess and treat the condition.
The guideline calls for all relevant health and social care professionals to be able to identify patients who could be misusing alcohol through clinical interviews and internationally recognised assessment tools, such as the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ). > > > > Read More
