A study of alcoholism treatment units: some findings on patients

Data are presented on patients treated by all the Alcoholism Treatment Units (ATUs) in Britain during the year. The data include patient numbers for the different facilities that were provided (in-patient, detoxification, out-patient and day-patient); the percentage of female patients; the average ages of all patients; the length of both formal programmes and of in-patient stay; decision-making procedures for both staff and patients; and pathways to treatment and types and combinations of treatment settings. The final section of the paper describes implications in relation to the specialised and non-specialised responses to alcoholism, to diversity between ATU and to research and policy.