Double-whammy alcohol crisis for people across East Midlands

“It’s time to admit we have a problem” as hospital admissions and deaths due to alcohol revealed

Alcohol addiction treatment experts are urging Councils across the East Midlands today to “listen to the numbers” and to admit that yesterday’s double-whammy Public Health England crisis due to alcohol cannot go ignored for yet another year. The call comes as Public Health England yesterday morning revealed that alcohol related hospital admissions across areas in the East Midlands reached over 100,000 people; almost 10% of all of England’s hospital admissions due to alcohol. The areas with the most amount of alcohol-related hospital admissions were Nottinghamshire (18,965 admissions), Derbyshire (18,897), Northamptonshire (15,874), Lincolnshire (14,857) and Leicestershire (12,637)- all of which, except Northamptonshire have risen year on year. At the same time, the report also shows how many people have died because of alcohol across the East Midlands; 2,153 in 2017.Places like Leicester have seen a concerning rise in the number of alcohol related deaths- from 134 in 2016 to 146 in 2017- a 9% rise. Eytan Alexander, CEO of addiction treatment specialists UKAT said: “The numbers speak for themselves; thousands of people across the East Midlands hospitalised because of alcohol and worse still, worrying rises in alcohol related deaths. “It’s time to admit that there is a problem here, and we call on Councils across East Midlands to make better budget decisions this coming April and to invest more of their Public Health Grant into local drug and alcohol treatment services, as well as early intervention and awareness campaigns in order to support those most vulnerable.” The report comes as UKAT reveals that throughout 2018, over half (55%) of all patients treated were for alcohol addiction, the highest amount they’ve ever treated. UKAT treated 1,025 patients for alcohol addiction in 2018, compared to just 579 in 2015; a 77% rise in just 3 years. Think you have a problem with alcohol? Take a 30 second internationally recognised screening test to see if you need help; https://www.ukat.co.uk/alcohol/cage-questionnaire/