Drug poisonings are double average rate

HALTON experienced more than twice as many drug poisoning incidents than the national average according to the NHS.

Figures published by NHS digital showed that there were 78 drug misuse poisonings per 100,000 residents recorded in the borough in 2018-19, compared to 33 for England, and 50 for the North West.

In terms of raw figures, the number equated to 100 incidents.

Drug-related hospital admissions for mental or behavioural problems were also higher in Halton than regional and average according to statistics published by the NHS.

According to the data, there were 266 primary or secondary admissions per 100,000 residents in the borough during 2018-19.

This compared to 258 for the North West and 175 for England.

There were precisely twice the number of hospital admissions in Halton for men (220) with primary or secondary diagnoses for drug-related mental or behavioural problems than there were for women (110).

The figures were published alongside previously published data including statistics showing how the number of drug seizures has varied between 2006 and 2018.

In Cheshire, the number of seizures has fluctuated, with a rapid rise during 2006-2011, followed by three years of decline until 2013-14, then jumping and falling again over the next two years, then rocketing between 2015-16 and 2017-18.

There were 653 drug seizures in the county in 2015-16, more than tripling to 2,070 in 2017-18.

The number of drug deaths across the county has risen since 2006, but with a small drop since 2016.