Alcohol abuse getting worse

A study of the town’s drinking habits reveals more than five per cent of men and women now consume ‘harmful’ amounts of alcohol

The figures show many men drink at least 50 units of alcohol - or 25 pints - a week and woman at least 35 units a week - both above the national average.

More than 18 per cent of men and women are also said to be drinking ‘hazardous’ levels of alcohol, which means more than 50 units or 25 pints a week.

Government advice is that the ‘safe drinking’ limit stands at two or three units a day for women and three to four units a day for men, with a recommended 48 alcohol-free hours following heavy drinking.

The figures - from the North West Public Health Observ-atory analysis - back up claims by health officials in Rother-ham that the town’s drink problem is getting worse.

Latest figures reveal alcohol-related hospital admissions in the town were costing well over 300,000 a year and included hundreds of mental and behavioural cases linked to drinking.

In a 12-month period Rother-ham Hospital dealt with more than 300 cases of liver disease linked to heavy drinking.

At peak times up to seven out of 10 cases at Accident & Emergency in Rotherham are said to be alcohol related. Alcohol abuse is also said to be linked to the rising number of suicides and both domestic and child abuse.

The town’s drinking habits are also said to be a prime cause of violent crime - especially in the town centre at weekends. To try to tackle the problem the Rotherham Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy was recently launched.

Wendy Edmondson, Rotherham PCT Lead Nurse, Alcohol Development, said: “This national report highlights the growing number of alcohol-related incidents that the NHS deals with.

“A strategy is due to be laun-ched in Rotherham in Decem-ber that sets out how the PCT and partner organisations will tackle key areas of concern.”