North East sees largest falls in England in alcohol deaths
Health leaders are cautiously welcoming the figures
We're hearing the North East has seen the largest fall in alcohol deaths in England between 2023-2024.
It's been been cautiously welcomed by health leaders at Balance, the NHS and local authority public health teams after system-wide working to address the worst rate of alcohol deaths and hospital admissions nationally.
The figures from DHSC Alcohol Profiles for England show the North East saw a 17.3% reduction in alcohol-specific deaths from 2023-24 (where death is directly from alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease) and a 9.5% reduction in alcohol-related deaths (where alcohol was a contributing factor). This is the first time alcohol-specific deaths have fallen since 2017.
This follows the North East and North Cumbria seeing a reduction of 14.9% in alcohol related hospital admissions since 2001, with the greatest benefit being seen in the most deprived communities which have seen a reduction of 16.3%.
Despite this, alcohol deaths are still much higher than before the pandemic, with alcohol-specific deaths still 30% higher than in 2019 and alcohol-related deaths are 13% higher.
Dr Neil O'Brien, local GP and chief medical director for the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board: "Our region has the highest level of harm from alcohol in the country, and it is encouraging to see this reduction, thanks to the hard work of the regional NHS and our local partners.
"However, we know that there is much more to do to bring these levels down further.
"Through our joint forward plan, we are working together with other organisations and our communities to try and reduce the harm that alcohol causes to people in our region. This progress aligns with the government’s 10-year health plan, which emphasises prevention, partnership, and investment in community health. Continued focus on reducing alcohol harm is essential if we are to achieve the plan’s vision for a healthier population and a sustainable NHS.”
Dr James Crosbie, clinical lead for alcohol in the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Board, said: “Alcohol causes a range of medical harms. Most people know it causes liver disease, but it also causes seven types of cancer, high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease and stroke and is a key driver of problems with mental health.
“We saw alcohol harm spike during the pandemic. Concerted action across the health and care system including NHS Alcohol Care Teams offering specialist support in every hospital in the region, and investment in community alcohol treatment has seen an increase in people being getting help into recovery from alcohol addiction and led to a reduction in demand on our health services.
“Alcohol harm is a problem everywhere in the UK, and while these fall in deaths is a step in the right direction, the North East still feels these pressures most acutely on our health system and in local communities.”
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “The fall in deaths is very welcome, but it is important to recognise that despite more people taking steps to cut down, our region still has the worst rate of deaths and hospital admissions in England.
“Four out of five people in the North East (82%) see alcohol as a big problem regionally and nationally, and yet awareness of alcohol health risks is still worryingly low. Reducing alcohol harms must be at the forefront of national efforts to build a healthier, safer and more economically productive country. We are proud of the work Balance has been doing to support partners in the North East including running our vital health harms awareness campaigns.”
Sarah is a mum-of-three in Durham. She started drinking at the age of 12 and continued drinking through her twenties and into her early thirties, then Covid hit. She found that lockdown escalated her drinking.
She quit on New Years Day in 2022.
Sarah said: "I had an abusive home-life so I was drinking to escape. I never drank because I liked the taste – I drank to get drunk and escape my reality.
“I started suffering really badly with very low mental health after drinking. I didn’t have any energy, I always felt groggy and I was worried I had the potential to turn into my dad who is an alcoholic.
“Every time I was drinking, I was getting blackout drunk – I couldn’t just have one or two. This happened on a work night out when I’d just started a new job. The shame, embarrassment and anxiety I felt the next day was horrible.
“I realised I was going to have to stop or I could jeopardise everything.
“I cut-out alcohol on New Years Day 2022 – it’s been tough, but everything has changed for the better now.
“I’ve been running for about a year now and I’ll be competing in my first ultra-marathon event soon. It’s amazing to have the energy and drive to take part in a big event.
“I’d urge anyone who thinks that alcohol is having a negative impact on their life to cut it out – if I can do it then you can too.”