Minister Visits Fife’s Addiction Services to Hear About Efforts to Reduce Alcohol-Related Harm

The Minister met staff working in Fife’s Alcohol Care Team and heard from family members with lived experience of alcohol-related harm.

Scotland's Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, Maree Todd MSP, visited Fife's Addiction Services at Whyteman’s Brae Hospital this week to learn more about the service's work supporting people experiencing alcohol-related harm.

During the visit, the Minister met staff working in Fife’s Alcohol Care Team and heard how the team provides trauma-informed, treatment-based support, working with people both in hospital and in their communities and helping them access specialist treatment, recovery and wider support services.

The minister’s visit to Fife took place as the annual figures for alcohol-specific deaths were published, showing a 24% reduction in deaths in Fife last year and a 3% reduction across Scotland. The largest decrease in Fife was in females with the number of deaths reducing to 22 in 2025, a reduction of 44%. While this significant reduction is welcome, NHS Fife and the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership recognise that every death represents a devastating loss for families and friends and remain committed to working together in an effort to reduce these deaths further.

The visit also coincided with an announcement of additional Scottish Government investment in a pilot project in Fife to reduce alcohol-related harm. This funding will be used to strengthen specialist support in hospital and extend it into the community, helping ensure people receive the right support at the right time and improving links between acute services, treatment programmes and community-based recovery support.  

The Alcohol Care Team plays a key role in providing intensive, wraparound specialist support for people admitted to hospital with alcohol-related issues. By working alongside hospital and community partners, the team supports people to access the treatment, recovery and wider services they need to improve their health and wellbeing.

Maree Todd MSP met staff during the visit to hear about their experiences of delivering the service and the opportunities the additional funding will create to further develop support for people affected by alcohol-related harm across Fife.

Elizabeth Butters, Service Manager with the Fife Alcohol and Drug Partnership, said:

“This additional investment will allow us to enhance the support available to people experiencing alcohol-related harm.

"Listening to people with lived and living experience and their families and tells us that engaging at the earliest opportunity gives people the best chance of recovery. 

"Alcohol-related harm has a significant impact on individuals, families and communities across Fife. By expanding this support, we can provide more coordinated care, improve access to services and help people stay in their communities, which is the best place for their wellbeing and recovery."

To find out more about the work of the Fife Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, or for information on how to access support, visit: fifeadp.org.uk

NHS Fife and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership are expected to receive around £164,000 for the remainder of 2026/27, followed by approximately £328,000 per year over the subsequent two years to support the continued development of the service.