2023-06-30 09:05:13
AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) The Netherlands wants to encourage GPs to point out the possibility of AA self-help groups more often to their patients with alcohol problems. The organization will therefore approach GP organizations in the coming period to increase awareness of the existence of the AA.
According to spokesman Jan Oosterhout of AA Netherlands, GPs are too often focused on treatment in addiction clinics when patients come to them with alcohol addiction. ‘We want to change that,’ says Oosterhout. ‘It is important that GPs and other healthcare providers become more aware of the benefits that self-help groups such as AA can offer.’
Relieve GPs
According to Oosterhout, GPs can relieve themselves and their practice nurses by referring patients to the self-help groups more often. They do not have waiting lists for participation and the costs of participation are limited to a voluntary contribution, says Oosterhout. According to him, they are also ‘an important addition to professional treatments’. Oosterhout points to a number of scientific publications on the effectiveness of AA programmes.
In the Netherlands there are about two hundred AA groups with about two thousand members.
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