Salvation Army calls for more support to tackle high number of alcohol-related deaths in Scotland

BY : Chris Eyte Christian Today

The Salvation Army has called for specialist support for alcoholics in Scotland after figures showed 1,277 people died from alcohol related deaths last year, 2023.

The National Records of Scotland released the latest figures last month, September, which showed an increase of one death compared to similar figures (1,276 deaths) in 2023. Most of the deaths are men, with two-thirds accounted for.

Dr Hannah Carver, from The Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research (SACASR) at the University of Stirling, said alcohol use continues to harm many people in Scotland and can be life-threatening or contribute to serious illness.

“It is important that people can access suitable services whenever help is needed, particularly those who are marginalized,” she added.

However, the Salvation Army has expressed concern that these much-needed support services are not readily available because of various obstacles such as a lack of organizational support.

In a report “Breaking the Cycle,” the church charity pinpointed a lack of specialist substance use support in Scotland at weekends and also evenings. In fact, 80 percent of Scottish drug support services were closed at weekends.

Mental health support is needed by alcoholics, the charity stated, but it warned of dangers that people were prevented from receiving this help because of drugs or drinking alcohol.

“Only [in August] we spoke about the drug-related deaths statistics and the scale of the challenge we face in Scotland,” said Lee Ball, director of addiction at The Salvation Army. “Behind [these] alcohol death figures are yet more avoidable deaths and a call-to-action for government and health providers.

“To tackle problem alcohol use we need the Scottish Government, local authorities and health and social care partnerships (HSCPs) to work together to deliver a wide-range of specialist support services.”

Substance users need far better access to support outside working hours, according to Ball, who deemed this essential and it would save lives.

“We must also ensure that no one is denied support due to mental health issues, which can be exacerbated as a direct result of long-term problem drinking,” he added.

Deprived areas of Scotland fared worst with alcohol-related deaths. Data showed these locations, such as Inverclyde, Glasgow City, North Lanarkshire and Dundee, were 4.5 times higher in death rates.

“The rate of alcohol-specific deaths peaked in 2006 and then fell until 2012. Since then, it has generally risen,” said Phillipa Haxton, Head of Vital Events Statistics, involved in the released data.

“Those aged 45-64 and 65-74 continue to have the highest mortality rates.”

The average age at death has also increased over time, she added, reviewing the figures.

“The mortality rates for those aged 65 to 74, and 75 and over, were at their highest since we began recording these figures in 1994. At the same time for age 25-44 the mortality rate has been fairly stable over the last decade.”

Data for other countries in the U.K for 2023 has yet to be released, according to the Salvation Army, but Scotland “continued to have the highest alcohol-specific death rate of the U.K. constituent countries in 2022.”

Photo: Unsplash/Chris Montgomery