Do we treat alcoholism seriously enough?
It's not often I have a personal connection to the stories we talk about on Morning Extra. But on today's programme I introduced you to a former colleague and friend of mine, Ray Daniels (pictured right, in happier times).
Ray was the drivetime show presenter at Glasgow-based between 2002 and 2003. Most of us had no idea he was an alcoholic, but after leaving his job and spending some time in the United States, he came back to Scotland with a serious problem.
Ray has been told by doctors that he's in a critical situation and has just months to live. And yet, he claims there's a lack of support for him from the health service.
Peter McCann, who runs Scotland's biggest treatment centre for alcoholics, in Peebleshire, revealed to us on-air this morning that he has 23 beds lying empty. And of the nearly 100 or so that areoccupied, a third are taken by foreign nationals.
The Scottish Government recently told us it's investing a record £120 million between 2008 and 2011, to both prevent alcohol related problems occurring and develop specialist treatment and support services. This is an increase in funding of 230 per cent on the previous three year period.
But, as things stand at the moment, is there a problem with access to treatment? Have you managed to find help? And how difficult is it to give up the bottle?
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