Million hospital admissions caused by drink

Figures published by the NHS Information Centre, which relate to 2009/10, show that during there were 1,057,000 hospital visits in relation to alcohol – a 12 per cent increase on the previous year and more than double the amount recorded in 2002/3.

The amount of alcohol drunk nationally has decreased steadily over the last five years, with 19 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women saying they drank on five or more days a week in 2009, compared to 24 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, in 2004.

Yorkshire and the Humber, however, still has a higher than average number of drinkers, with 65 per cent of respondents saying they had an alcoholic drink in the last week compared to the national average of 62.

But the number of people in Yorkshire drinking on five or more days a week was slightly below the national average – 14 per cent, compared to 15.

The statistics, which cover April 2009 to the end of March 2010, were published in the annual report Statistics on Alcohol: England 2011.

A breakdown of the figures showed that 63 per cent of the hospital admissions were for men and found that there were higher rates of alcohol-related admissions for older adult age groups than their younger counterparts.

The report revealed that alcohol dependency cost the NHS £2.41m in prescriptions last year, an increase of 1.4 per cent on the amount spent in the previous year.

The figures for alcohol- related prescription items were highest in the North West and the North East, and lowest in London.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware, said the one million figure was a “worrying landmark.”

He said: “Anyone requiring hospital treatment for alcohol-related illness is a cause for concern, and with increasing admissions in all age groups from 16 to 75+ it’s clear we cannot afford to rest on our laurels.

“If we can help people re-evaluate their relationship with alcohol, we can start to change the drinking culture in the UK, reducing consumers’ risk levels and relieving the burden on society from health and social costs.”

David Poley, chief executive of drinks industry body the Portman Group, said it was surprising that hospital admissions had “apparently doubled”.