Census Of Drug And Alcohol Treatment Services In Northern Ireland At 1 September 2014

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published 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 persons 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.

This publication is published on the Departmental website at: http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/statistics/lcb/alcohol.htm-