Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Alcohol problems are on the rise
Health services in Lanarkshire are seeing an increase in the numbers seeking help for alcohol-related issues during the pandemic.
A major focus of NHS Lanarkshire’s work on alcoholrelated illnesses is prevention through both its North Partnership Board and the South Alcohol and Drug Partnership.
Alcohol-specific deaths in North Lanarkshire have decreased in the past four consecutive years.
The latest figures released in November last year showed there were 91 deaths – the second lowest figure in the last 10 years. That figure compared to 97 the previous year, and 112 two years ago.
Across the NHS Lanarkshire catchment area the number of alcohol-related deaths last year was down to 137 from the previous year’s total of 170.
The national figure for Scotland showed a decrease of over 10 per cent for the year; the reduction follows on from the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol in Scotland in 2018.
Experts are encouraged by the reduction but think it’s too early to determine if the policy will have the impact on alcohol-related deaths and harm that was hoped prior to its introduction.
Dr Adam Brodie, NHS Lanarkshire’s clinical director for addictions, said:“nhs Lanarkshire continue to fully support the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) but it is almost certainly too early to evidence the impact of this policy on alcohol deaths and related harm.”
He added:“the best way to address alcohol-related illnesses is through prevention, which is a major focus of the work of both the North Partnership Board and the South Alcohol and Drug Partnership.
“The collaborative work by both partnerships has helped to steadily reduce the number of alcoholrelated deaths in Lanarkshire and it is the aim to continue this work.”
Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, believes it may be the right time to increase the minimum unit price, saying: “The evidence from the evaluation of MUP so far is promising. It appears to be having the intended effect on alcohol consumption.”
She added: “we also need to look at what else can be done to tackle alcohol harm. Reducing how readily available alcohol is and how heavily it is marketed could help to improve the lives of thousands by preventing problems in the first place.”
A recent report in England and Wales revealed alcohol-related deaths have increased during the coronavirus pandemic, and while Scotland’s figures are going in the opposite direction, they are still proportionately higher here per head of population.
Professor Jonathan Chick, consultant psychiatrist and medical director at Castle Craig Hospital, one of the country’s biggest alcohol and drug rehabs, said: “although opponents [of MUP] said the legislation was unfair to families on lower income, it will be such families that have seen most reduction in serious alcohol-related illness and death.
“However, liver units are still treating more alcohol-related illnesses than English hospitals.
“Also, there may have been a trend in Scotland towards greater illicit drug use as reflected in rising drug overdose deaths. But at Castle Craig alcohol addiction is still the commonest reason why people apply to us for help.”