The BBC report that residential treatment centres in Wales for drug and alcohol problems say they are struggling to attract clients amd as a result they may go out of business.
They say that Welsh government figures show nearly half the 91 people in Wales referred for rehab last year went to England, despite beds available in Wales:
Rehab centres told the Radio Wales’ Eye on Wales programme that red tape and a reduction in referrals for drug and alcohol treatment over recent years were putting their future in jeopardy.
Service providers complained of inconsistent and ad-hoc commissioning practices, and a reliance by some bodies on rehab facilities in England, at the expense of units in Wales struggling to survive.
A report to be issued by Alcohol Concern Cymru will say there were more than 15,300 referrals for treatment for alcohol misuse in Wales in 2010-2011, including 1,218 for patients aged 19 or younger.
The cost to the NHS in Wales of alcohol-related disease and incidents is thought to be as high as £73m.
Welsh government figures show that out of 91 people from Wales referred for residential rehab last year using £1m in ring-fenced public funding, 41 of these were sent to rehab units in England, even though beds were available in Wales.
Rehab providers are calling for a fairer system for providers and clients alike, with the ending of what they call a “postcode lottery” and a streamlining of a system they claim is slow and bureaucratic.
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