£150k boost to combat alcohol misuse

A PROGRAMME to deal with alcohol misuse is to be launched by North Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust.

The area's healthcare provider is set to receive £150,000 as part of a national scheme to cut problem drinking.

It has been awarded the money after North Lincolnshire was identified as one of the 20 worst areas in the country for alcohol misuse.

PCT director of public health Dr Andrew Furber said the new community alcohol team would provide training for doctors and nurses to help them manage problem drinking.
He said: "As with many areas in the country, alcohol misuse is certainly an issue in North Lincolnshire, in fact an estimated 25,000 in the area have an alcohol use disorder."

The money has been awarded as part of the £6-million national Alcohol Improvement Programme, which was announced by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo last week.

The announcement came five weeks after North Lincolnshire Council launched its own scrutiny review into alcohol misuse in the area.