HOSPITAL admissions in England due to alcohol are at their highest levels ever, according statistics published by NHS Digital.
Alcohol-related hospital admissions in England have increased by 64 per cent over the last decade, with around 430,000 more people being admitted due to alcohol-related causes than a decade ago and bringing the total number of admissions to over 1.1 million in 2015/16.
Alcohol is linked to over 60 illnesses and diseases, including heart disease, liver disease and cancer. Figures from the local alcohol profiles for England show that admissions due to liver disease have gone up 57 per cent over the last decade, and that the number of people diagnosed with alcohol-related cancer has increased 8 per cent.
This is despite data released by the Office of National Statistics showing that the proportion of adults drinking is at its lowest level since 2005. However, 7.8 million people admit to binge drinking on their heaviest drinking day.
The Royal College of Physicians and alcohol health experts are calling for more action in the UK to tackle the health harm done by alcohol.
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK (AHA), said: “These figures show that the UK continues to have a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol.
“The data released today should be sobering reading for whoever wins the upcoming general election, and we would urge the next government to make tackling alcohol harm an immediate priority to save lives, reduce harm, and reduce the pressure on the NHS.”
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