Most Hospital Admissions
Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, said: “The statistics issued today continue to paint a bleak picture for the North East. “Once again we have the highest rate of alcohol related hospital admissions in England, at 3,156 per 100,000 head of population. It’s no surprise, given that alcohol is 61% more affordable today than it was in 1980. The same cannot be said for other household goods.
“There is a direct correlation between alcohol misuse and its price. The Government has a clear opportunity to deal with this by introducing a minimum price per unit of alcohol. This will make the cheapest and strongest alcohol less affordable to vulnerable younger and heavier drinkers who are more likely to drink it and suffer the consequences.
“In short, a minimum unit price is needed, it’s wanted and it works. The North East needs it because we’ve the highest alcohol related hospital admissions. Not only that, alcohol is also linked to nearly half of all violent crime and 39% of domestic violence. It’s wanted by a majority of North Easterners and importantly, the evidence shows that it works. In British Columbia a 10% increase in price resulted in a 32% fall in deaths.”
Research carried out by the University of Sheffield indicates that after ten years, every year in England a minimum 50p per unit will:
• save 3,393 lives
• reduce hospital admissions by 97,900
• cut crimes by 45,800
• cut unemployment by 27,100
• save 296,900 working days lost through absenteeism
• reduce the amount younger & heavier drinkers consume.
It estimates that moderate drinkers, who drink within the recommended limits of 2-3 units for a woman and 3-4 units for a man, could be expected to pay just 28p a week extra on their weekly alcohol bill for these benefits, if a minimum 50p per unit were introduced.
