Essex’s Voices Helped Shape the UK’s First National Guidelines for Treating Alcohol Dependence
We are proud to share that the first-ever UK clinical guidelines for the treatment of alcohol dependence have now been published by the Department for Health & Social Care - and the voices of people from Essex played an important part in shaping them.
This guidance outlines evidence-based interventions for people experiencing harmful drinking patterns and alcohol dependence. It sets out what good treatment should look like across specialist alcohol and drug services, hospitals, and wider health and social care settings. It also supports professionals in homelessness, community support, and other frontline roles who encounter alcohol-related harm in their work.
A voice for Essex in national change
The Experts Through Experience group, which included several community members and practitioners from Essex, directly influenced the recommendations. Together, they decided on their priorities: high-quality alcohol treatment must be personalised, non-judgemental, and grounded in a recovery-orientated system of care. You can read more about the chosen priorities here.
This aligns closely with the values we champion at the Essex Recovery Foundation.
Lived experience matters
The publication of these guidelines recognised that people with lived experience of addiction should be part of designing the systems that support them. Their insight strengthens clinical practice and improves outcomes for everyone who seeks help.
Our Radical Change Lead, Sarah Tinker, reflects on this powerful collaborative process:
“Back in November 2024, a group of community members from Essex - people with lived experience, people who work in services, people who have clinical expertise and those who have lived expertise - all came together to respond to the Government’s consultation on the Alcohol Guidelines. The process was positive, energising, affirming, and Essex Recovery Foundation is grateful to have witnessed it. Now the guidelines have been officially launched, we feel proud to have had our say and heartened to see lived experience involvement has been present in the whole development.”
A Step Forward for People, Communities, and Services
These new guidelines aim to improve the quality and consistency of care for anyone affected by alcohol dependence. They reflect what so many of you have been telling us for years - that treatment must be built around compassion, collaboration, and the wisdom of lived experience.
We want to thank everyone who contributed their stories and expertise to this process. Together, we are helping shape a system that truly works for the people who rely on it.