A MASSIVE 80 per cent of adults dependent on drink in Warwickshire are not receiving treatment.

That’s the stark message from a report from the county’s drug and alcohol services team.

The recent report to Warwickshire County Council’s Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee explained that the number of people seeking treatment had reduced by 32 per cent in the last five years and out of nearly 5,000 adults estimated to be alcohol dependent, fewer than 1,000 were having treatment.

Now the team, which has been rebranded Warwickshire Pathways, has reviewed its services to tackle the county’s drug and alcohol problems with improvements to centres in Leamington, Rugby and Nuneaton and help for the families and friends of those receiving treatment.

December also saw the launch of a new residential centre in Southam.

In a report to councillors, officer Kate Woolley said the new services would help tackle the hidden harm of alcohol across the county.

But she warned: “If the new services reach and successfully encourage an increased level of dependent drinkers into treatment, the budget for drug and alcohol will overspend.

“It would be helpful for members to keep this spend under review against the increased success of tackling dependent drinkers as this may present a financial risk to the county but an overall health and wellbeing benefit to the population.”