5,000 are addicted to alcohol in Coventry, new data reveals

NEARLY 5,000 people in Coventry are addicted to alcohol.

The figure was revealed in new data released by Public Health England aimed at helping health bodies plan for treatment demand.

It suggests 4,706 adults in the area are believed to be dependent on alcohol.

That is the equivalent of 1.7 per cent of the adult population in Coventry.

That compares to a national average of 1.4 per cent across England.

The figures, which cover 2016/17, also show that an estimated 5,007 people in Warwickshire are dependent on alcohol, or 1.1 per cent of the population.

That dependence is considered serious enough to warrant specialist treatment.

The figures come following the publication of an Alcohol Charter calling on the Government to make sure an upcoming alcohol strategy supports those in need and helps cut alcohol related crime and disorder.

Karen Tyrell, director of external affairs at Addaction - one of the charities that contributed to the Charter said: “At the moment, only one in five people who need treatment can get it. “That’s not good enough. “There’s a real opportunity to set out an ambitious plan to help more people into recovery and to counter the damaging and widespread effects of alcohol.

“To do that, however, we need money invested in specialist services like Addaction - for people with alcohol dependency.

“Without this, we can only reach a fraction of those who need our help and we’ll see continued pressure on our health and emergency services and damage to families and communities.”

The estimates are based on research by the University of Sheffield which uses responses to questionnaires on alcohol use and alcohol-dependent hospital admissions to estimate the likely numbers in each area who are addicted to alcohol.

It found younger people, men, white people, and those living in deprived areas are more likely to be dependent on alcohol.

Across England, the number of people receiving treatment for alcohol alone decreased from 80,454 on 2016/17 to 75,787 in 2017/18 - a fall of 17 per cent from a peak of 91,651 in 2013/14.

The number of people entering treatment in 2017/18 who were treated for non-opiate drugs and alcohol (35,473) was broadly the same as the previous year (35,491).

There were an estimated 589,101 adults with alcohol dependency in need of specialist treatment across England in 2016-17.

Alcohol dependency estimates have remained relatively stable over the last five years. That suggests there is less treatment is available, rather than fewer people needing it.

Currently, only one in five of those in need of treatment receiving it.

Earlier this month, the Drugs, Alcohol and Justice Cross Party Parliamentary Group and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Harm published an Alcohol Charter.

As well as improving health and supprt services, it also called for an increase alcohol duties by one per cent above the Retail Price Index in order to provide £100 million ring-fenced for alcohol treatment services.