Are You Looking for Help with Your Own Drinking?

If you are concerned about your drinking and think you may need help, please contact the free Alcoholics Anonymous helpline on 0800 917 7650 or email [email protected].

This page is for organisations and professionals who would like to understand more about Alcoholics Anonymous and how AA may help the people they work with.

Helping Patients Find AA

Healthcare professionals regularly come into contact with people whose drinking is affecting their physical or mental health. A patient may recognise that alcohol is causing problems but be unsure where to turn or what help is available.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can provide support for someone who wants to stop drinking. With help available locally and nationally, 24 hours a day, healthcare professionals can confidently introduce patients to AA as another source of ongoing support.

What Is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who have recovered from alcoholism and help each other to live without alcohol.

AA members share their own experiences of alcoholism and recovery, offering hope and support to others who want to stop drinking. Meetings provide an opportunity to hear from people who understand the challenges of alcoholism because they have experienced them themselves.

AA is based on one alcoholic helping another. It is not a professional treatment service or a replacement for medical care, counselling or other specialist support. Instead, AA offers support through the shared experience of its members.

The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for membership.

Helping Your Patients

Patients do not need a professional referral to contact AA or attend a meeting.

AA meetings offer the opportunity to meet others who have experienced alcoholism and found a way to live without drinking. Support is based on shared experience and is available for as long as the individual chooses to take part.

For healthcare professionals, AA provides a readily available source of ongoing support that patients can access immediately.

This can be particularly valuable for GPs, nurses, Social Prescribers and other healthcare professionals who want to introduce patients to additional support within the community.

Helping Healthcare Professionals Understand AA

Our Health Liaison Officer works with healthcare professionals and organisations across Wiltshire and Bath, helping them understand what Alcoholics Anonymous is, how it works and how patients can access support.

The Liaison Officer can provide information and literature, answer questions about AA and arrange talks or presentations for healthcare teams and those training to work in healthcare. We can also attend team meetings or CPD sessions to explain how AA works and how healthcare professionals can introduce patients to our Fellowship.

We can provide AA contact information and details of local meetings for GP surgeries, health centres and other healthcare settings.

This is a free service: There is no charge for talks, visits or information provided by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Would You Like to Know More About Alcoholics Anonymous?

If you would like to understand more about AA, or arrange for AA members to speak to your team or organisation, please contact our Health Liaison Officer.

There is no charge for talks, visits or information provided by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Email: [email protected]