NE alcohol-related hospital admission falls buck national trend

12th May 2016

According to figures released by Public Health England, the North East is the only region in the country which has halted the rise in alcohol related hospital admissions.

In fact, the latest figures show a fall in alcohol-related hospital admissions in the region since rates peaked in 2011/12, with a 5% drop in the North East as a whole, in comparison to a 5% increase across the rest of England.

Alcohol-related conditions refer to those illnesses and injuries, such as heart disease, strokes and certain cancers, which can be caused by alcohol.

Sunderland has seen the highest fall in alcohol-related hospital admissions in the region, with a 19% reduction in that same three-year period.

But the figures also show the gap between male and female alcohol-related hospital admissions across the North East is slowly closing, with men seeing a 7% fall in that period, compared to a 2% reduction for women.

The improving picture for alcohol-related hospital admissions received a cautious welcome from Balance, the North East Alcohol Office.

Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, said: “It’s promising to see the North East improving when it comes to hospital admissions related to alcohol. We’re the only region in the country showing rates falling and, while it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for the fall, the North East is the only region working so closely together to tackle alcohol harm.

“But we still have the highest alcohol-related hospital admission rates and some of the highest alcohol-related death rates in England so we can’t be complacent. In fact, the rate of improvement shows signs of slowing and it is probably no coincidence that this has happened at a time when alcohol duty rates have been cut.

“Alcohol is linked to more than 200 medical conditions including cancer, yet far too many people remain unaware of the serious damage it can to do, even when consumed at relatively low levels. Only by making people aware of the risks can they then make informed choices about how much they choose to drink – and that means there’s a need for Government health campaigns and mandatory health warning labels on alcohol products.”