Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to fund at least one alcohol care team or specialist in every hospital.

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, we are establishing specialist Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs) in hospitals with the highest rates of alcohol harm. It is estimated that this will prevent 50,000 admissions over five years.

All clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have been allocated a Health Inequalities Funding Supplement contribution to their indicative baselines. NHS England and NHS Improvement, through the Long Term Plan, have highlighted the evidence base for ACTs and indicated that where required, commissioners should utilise monies from this funding supplement to close health inequality gaps associated with alcohol dependence.

Additionally, for those areas with the highest levels of demand, additional targeted monies will be invested directly to ensure the provision of optimal ACTs starting from 2020/21.

Local authorities will also receive over £3 billion in 2019/20 to be used exclusively on public health including alcohol treatment services.