§ Mr Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the provisions being made for the treatment of alcoholics; how many people are treated annually; what is the cost of such treatment; and what is the success rate.
§ Sir K. JosephMost mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units can treat alcoholic patients. In addition there are 16 specialised units in England with a total of 358 beds. In 1971 the number of admissions to mental illness hospitals and units in England of patients whose diagnosis included alcoholism or alcoholic psychosis was 9,312. Information about the total cost of treating alcoholism is not available. Evaluation of treatment programmes suggests that about 30 per cent. of patients achieve total abstinence over a follow-up period.