Council targets for the successful treatment of people with alcohol addiction are not being met in Bucks.

A total of 35.4 per cent of people who received help for alcohol addiction in the final quarter of 2017/18 completed treatment – missing the 40 per cent target.

This means 108 people were successfully treated out of 305.

However council health chiefs have blamed the low numbers on the changes to the service – after the new adult substance service was launched in 2017.

Bucks County Council’s quality performance report states it is “normal” to see performance drop during the re-commissioning and transition to a new service.

It says: “The new adult substance service started in October 2017, however, the recommissioning process started 10 months prior to this, so the whole of 17/18 data has been affected by the recommissioning.

“It is normal to see successful completion performance drop during recommissioning and the transition to a new service.

“During transition it is vital for services like this to focus on stabilising existing service users through the change and minimising the risks of service users dropping out of treatment.”

Speaking at a meeting of Bucks County Council’s cabinet on Monday, deputy cabinet member for community engagement and public health, Jean Teesdale, said a “robust” action plan is in place to improve treatment.