Health chiefs react to 'worrying' figures placing South Tyneside in worst three locations in country for alcohol related deaths

Data collated from the Office for National Statistics shows South Tyneside has a prevalence rate of 26.2 people per 100,000 residents who are dying directly due to alcohol compared to just 14.6 nationally (England and Wales).

Responding to the data South Tyneside health and council chiefs said the figures are “worrying”.

A joint spokesperson for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, South Tyneside Council and Balance North East said: “Across the UK, deaths linked to alcohol are rising. The figures for our borough, as well as the wider region, are worrying.”

Sunderland has the highest prevalence rate with 29.3 people out of every 100,000 residents and Blackpool is in second place with 28.4 alcohol induced deaths per 100,000 people.

The data paints a bleak picture for the region as a whole with the North East seeing the highest rates of alcohol deaths with 22.6 people dying due to booze out of every 100,000 people - comfortably the highest of any region in the UK.

Newcastle has a rate of 22 people/100,000 residents, still comfortably above the national average.

South Tyneside’s health and council chiefs feel more needs to be done to tackle the availability of strong and cheap alcohol.

The spokesperson said: “Our organisations are already working closely together to address the harm alcohol causes to people and reducing their intake. But action must happen on a national level to tackle the availability of cheap and strong alcohol, as well as the inappropriate promotion around it.

“We want to see a cultural change so that people drink less, find it less affordable and less accessible to get hold of. As it stands, people with an issue with alcohol are surrounded by messages about buying and drinking it.

“We also know alcohol is a key part of the health inequalities our area faces. They mean our community faces an increased risk of premature death, liver and heart disease, while alcohol also causes seven types of cancer, including breast, mouth and bowel cancer.

“As part of our work as a partnership, we are in the process of agreeing our new alcohol strategy ‘’Calling the Shots’’ which will launch in the coming months. This will help us address these issues in South Tyneside. It will help people live better and healthier lives, make our communities safer and reduce the number of hospital admissions linked to drinking.”

The figures are also of concern to Dr Neil O'Brien, chief medical officer at the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, which oversees healthcare in the region.

Dr O’Brien said: "These figures are a stark reminder that alcohol causes avoidable illness and death in our communities. Alcohol now causes a million hospital admissions in England every year.

"The NHS is working with local authorities in the region with the aim of reducing alcohol-related hospital admissions by 20% by 2030.

“This includes hard-hitting campaigns led by Balance North East, strengthening alcohol support services and helping all our staff to spot opportunities to start conversations about alcohol and help patients get support.

"No matter where you live, there is help for alcohol problems, through your GP practice, local services or national organisations. Just having a conversation can be an important first step."

Commenting on the prevalence of alcohol related deaths in South Tyneside and the wider region, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "For too long there has been an unwillingness to lead on issues like smoking, alcohol harm and obesity.

"Our 10-Year Health Plan will shift the focus of the NHS from sickness to prevention. This means prioritising public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives."