Doncaster health chief urges residents to rethink their drinking habits

The figure has led to a plea from the borough’s most senior public health official for people to rethink their drinking habits before it’s too late.

In the 12 months to the end of March 2020, there were 1,817 emergency admissions to Doncaster Royal Infirmary of people with an alcohol specific diagnosis, such as alcohol-related liver disease, or alcohol induced acute pancreatitis.

Some 515, or 28 per cent, of the admissions were those aged between 50 and 59, including 320 men and 195 women, although some were multiple admissions by the same person.

They were followed by the borough’s next most at risk group, those aged 40 to 49, with 384 admissionsfor conditions caused by excessive drinking - made up of 235 men and 149 women.

The total number of admissions has fallen to a four-year low, at 1,817, only marginally more than that 1,810 cases recorded in 2015-16.

However, while public health chiefs say they are encouraged by the decline, they have stressed that the downward trend needs to continue.

Dr Rupert Suckling, Doncaster director of public health, said: “It’s a positive that the overall trend is steadily reducing.

"However, the reality is that far too many Doncaster residents are putting their lives at risk by drinking way above the Government’s safe drinking recommendations.

“This is certainly true in the fifties age group, which are recording the most number of alcohol-related admissions across both sexes.

“The statistics point to Doncaster people starting to drink more in their 40s, increasing their consumption in their 50s and continuing in their 60s.”

Alcohol-related hospital admissions for those aged over 65 have risen by 67 per cent in the last 10 years – men by 46 per cent and women by 56 per cent.

The figures have been published as the Doncaster’s Alcohol Alliance works to gain a better understanding of alcohol consumption in Doncaster and to say that help is at hand – see rethinkyourdrinkdoncaster.co.uk