Alcohol-related hospital admissions down in Wigan

But latest statistics suggest they suffered a relapse last year.

In Wigan, there were 2,652 admissions directly linked to excessive drinking in the 12 months to March 2018, Public Health England data reveals. That’s 14 per cent less than five years earlier.

The data only includes patients suffering conditions which are entirely attributable to alcohol abuse, such as liver cirrhosis.

That means 820 in every 100,000 people living in the area went to hospital over the last year due to a condition directly related to drinking, such as cirrhosis of the liver.

But while 736 per 100,000 people needed hospital care in 2017/18, this was a rise from the 692 per 100,000 the year before.

The latest figures show a rate of 700 per 100,000 people in the North West and 632 in England.

This is based on a narrow measure where an alcohol-related disease, injury or condition was the primary reason for a hospital admission or there was an alcohol-related external cause.

A broader measure looking at a range of other conditions that could be caused by alcohol shows 8,651 admissions in 2017/18 (2,716 per 100,000 people) in Wigan, rising from 8.457 (2,686) in the previous year.

Alcohol-related deaths also increased, from 174 in 2016 (56.1) to 176 in 2017 (57.5).

However, the data shows hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions dropped in 2017/18, from 2,670 (830) to 2,652 (820).

Alcohol-specific deaths also fell, from 150 (15.2) to 147 (15.0) in 2015-17.

But more under-18s were admitted to hospital for alcohol-specific conditions, rising from 110 (54.1) to 119 (58.4).

Prof Kate Ardern, director of public health at Wigan Council, said: “Alcohol-related hospital admissions are not just specific to Wigan borough and they are extremely complex in nature.

“Wigan borough has a rate of 736 admissions for alcohol-related conditions per 100,000 of the population. This is a 16 per cent reduction since 2011/12 and is a much larger reduction than what is seen over the same period both regionally and nationally.

“We are aware there has been a slight increase in admissions since last year but that is to be expected in terms of year-on-year variation. We are continuously looking at ways to improve and we are glad to now maintain a position that is in line with the North West average.”