Alcohol-related Deaths

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:34 pm on 15 June 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:34, 15 June 2021

I thank the Member for that supplementary question. He is, of course, entirely correct that the figures that are published are 'direct cause of alcohol' deaths, and the problem of alcohol misuse is a far wider one than that. On the final specific point that the Member raised, the Welsh Government rehabilitation framework has 30 different providers of residential drug and alcohol services on it. Between April 2020 and May of this year, there were 194 referrals to those centres, of which 93 were to Brynawel, a residential centre I know the Member has a particular interest in. I was very pleased myself, when health Minister, to visit Brynawel and to see the services that it provides. During 2020-21, the Welsh Government made available an extra £750,000 to support residential provision of alcohol and drug recovery services, of which £250,000 went directly to Brynawel, to support additional placements there. I know that he speaks with authority on this matter, from the work that he does, and I hope that he will recognise the additional investment the Welsh Government has made, and the difference that that is making in the lives of people with alcohol dependency and their ability to access excellent services of the sort that Brynawel provides.