NI drug & alcohol treatment census published

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety have published a new statistical bulletin summarising information from the Census of Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services in Northern Ireland.

The Census summarises information collected from statutory and non-statutory drug and alcohol treatment services to establish the number of people in treatment in Northern Ireland for drug and/or alcohol misuse.

The bulletin presents information on the number of persons in treatment for alcohol and/or drug misuse on 1 September 2014. Breakdowns by gender and age group of persons in treatment as well as Health and Social Care Trust, residential status (non-residential and residential) and type of addiction service (Statutory, non-Statutory, Prisons) are also provided.

Key Findings:

• In Northern Ireland on 1 September 2014, a total of 8,553 persons were reported to be in treatment for misuse of alcohol and/or drugs.

• Of those in treatment for alcohol and/or drugs, almost three-fifths (57%) were males aged 18 and over, a third (33%) were female aged 18 or more and a tenth were aged under 18 (6% male; 4% female).

• Almost half (45%) were in treatment for alcohol only, while a third were in treatment for drugs only and a quarter (24%) were in treatment for both drugs and alcohol.

• Over a quarter of clients (28%) were receiving treatment in the Belfast Trust area, with 23% in the Southern Trust, 18% in the South Eastern Trust, 15% in the Western Trust and 10% in the Northern Trust.

• Over half of clients (54%) received treatment through non-statutory organisations, with 42% receiving treatment through statutory organisations.

• The majority (93%) of those aged under 18 received treatment through non-statutory organisations.

• The majority of clients (95%) were being treated in a non-residential setting.

• The number of clients in treatment increased from 5,916 at 1 March 2012 to 8,553 at 1 September 2014 (an increase of 45%). Some of this difference can be explained by a higher number of organisations contributing to the Census (70 in 2012; 93 in 2014), however a direct comparison of the 63 organisations that contributed to both the 2012 and 2014 Censuses showed a 30% increase in clients between the two years.

• The proportion of clients in treatment for both drugs and alcohol increased from 18% in 2007 to 24% in 2014, while the proportion of clients in treatment for drugs only also increased from 20% to 31%. The proportion of clients in treatment for alcohol only decreased from 62% in 2007 to 45% in 2014.

The publication is available here: http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/statistics/lcb/alcohol.htm-