Cases hit 1 million

cancer and drink-related injury. Separate figures show tens of thousands of patients are also being admitted to hospital as a direct result or “primary diagnosis of alcohol” – for example due to intoxication, injury and unconsciousness. They accounted for 134,278 patients in 2016/17.

This is a rise of more than seven thousand since 2009/10 (127,229).

This data also shows 10,271 patients were admitted more than three times while the number admitted 10 times or more has risen 35 per cent from 1,140 in 2009/2010 to 1,544 last year.

The data, compiled by this paper, follows research released earlier this month revealing that alcohol-related deaths have reached record levels, totalling 7,697 last year. Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman, UK Alcohol Health Alliance, said: “These figures are a stark reminder that alcohol-related hospital admissions are a huge burden on an already overstretched NHS.

“These include some frequent attenders who could be much better and cost-effectively managed if our alcohol treatment services were not being so brutally cut through local authority budgets in crisis.”

He called for a minimum unit price in England “without delay”.

And Colin Shevills, director of Balance North East, an alcohol advice group said: “The fact is we’re drinking too much as a society.

“Alcohol should not be central to the way we see enjoyment.”