Admissions for alcohol related liver disease double in North-East

12:10am Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News By Alexa Copeland, Reporter (Darlington)

DOCTORS from across the North-East are urging the government not to U-turn over introducing minimum alcohol unit pricing.

In two open letters to the Secretary of State for Health, the North East’s Directors for Public Health and Clinical Commissioning Group members say that the region has the highest rate of alcohol-related hospital admissions in the country, costing the local NHS £264million per year.

They point out that introducing a minimum price of 50p per alcohol unit would raise the cost of cheap cider and vodka mostly bought by young people and harmful drinkers, and could save around 3,000 lives annually.

The letter comes as latest figures show that hospital admissions for alcohol-related liver disease have doubled in the North-East over the last decade and have increased by 400 per cent among people in their 20s and 30s.

Dr Steven Masson, Consultant Hepatologist at the Freeman Hospital’s Liver Transplant Unit, said the trend was extremely worrying.

“Only a few years ago this disease was extremely rare in people under 30 but unless our drinking habits change, the problem is only set to worsen,” he said, adding: “Unfortunately in many cases, by the time people are presenting with these symptoms to a specialist, the damage has already been done.

“And the damage is irreversible.”

Prime Minister David Cameron recently told MPs he would stop alcohol being sold cheaply in supermarkets but did not commit to setting a minimum unit price, sparking fears that the policy may be abandoned.

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Comments (3)

10:24am Tue 19 Mar 13

frankyboy says...

This is now the fifth article in as many days on this subject, published by the Echo, and they are all supportive of imposing this minimum price tax on the poorest members of our Region.

Where is the fair reporting? Government obviously has a reason for considering not going ahead with this, and I believe the vast majority of the ordinary public agree with them. So, whether the Echo agrees or not, there should still be that side of the argument published, surely?

Colin Shevills, being a 'communications consultant', is obviously an expert in using the press to his advantage, but I'm surprised that such an established local paper can allow themselves to be constantly used (abused?) in such a one-sided way.

Regarding the misinformation in this latest article, let's consider the statement 'a minimum price of 50p per alcohol unit would raise the cost of cheap cider and vodka mostly bought by young people and harmful drinkers'..

Now, the cheapest bottle of gin in Tesco is slightly less than their cheapest bottle of vodka. So if you are over 30, middle-aged or an elderly person and you choose to have a gin and tonic, or vodka and coke, at home, then you are a 'harmful drinker'.

Got that? If you're not 'young' and buy vodka or gin to drink at home then most of you are 'harmful drinkers'. So stop it. Now. Or pay this new price tax, 'cos it's what is best for you - rich doctors, rich police commissioners and the vested-interest pub industry have said so!

What rubbish.

One final point. It is unbelievable cheek to mention the cost to the NHS of alcohol-related admissions. First of all, where do they dream up this figure of £264m? Any evidence, or just pluck a figure and publish it? But even if it is true, the sum is dwarfed by the £9 BILLION in taxes that the Treasury took from alcohol sales in 2009-10.
This is now the fifth article in as many days on this subject, published by the Echo, and they are all supportive of imposing this minimum price tax on the poorest members of our Region. Where is the fair reporting? Government obviously has a reason for considering not going ahead with this, and I believe the vast majority of the ordinary public agree with them. So, whether the Echo agrees or not, there should still be that side of the argument published, surely? Colin Shevills, being a 'communications consultant', is obviously an expert in using the press to his advantage, but I'm surprised that such an established local paper can allow themselves to be constantly used (abused?) in such a one-sided way. Regarding the misinformation in this latest article, let's consider the statement 'a minimum price of 50p per alcohol unit would raise the cost of cheap cider and vodka mostly bought by young people and harmful drinkers'.. Now, the cheapest bottle of gin in Tesco is slightly less than their cheapest bottle of vodka. So if you are over 30, middle-aged or an elderly person and you choose to have a gin and tonic, or vodka and coke, at home, then you are a 'harmful drinker'. Got that? If you're not 'young' and buy vodka or gin to drink at home then most of you are 'harmful drinkers'. So stop it. Now. Or pay this new price tax, 'cos it's what is best for you - rich doctors, rich police commissioners and the vested-interest pub industry have said so! What rubbish. One final point. It is unbelievable cheek to mention the cost to the NHS of alcohol-related admissions. First of all, where do they dream up this figure of £264m? Any evidence, or just pluck a figure and publish it? But even if it is true, the sum is dwarfed by the £9 BILLION in taxes that the Treasury took from alcohol sales in 2009-10. frankyboy

11:22am Tue 19 Mar 13

frankyboy says...

The headline title of this article has changed. Presumably because stating liver disease admissions have doubled is more likely to persuade people to support this minimum price tax. The previous headline, saying rich doctors believe the poorest should suffer this tax, will not be so popular.

Regarding the actual figures (none are really given), was it only 2 people admitted recently with liver disease, when it was 1 ten years ago? So it has 'doubled'. Wow.
The headline title of this article has changed. Presumably because stating liver disease admissions have doubled is more likely to persuade people to support this minimum price tax. The previous headline, saying rich doctors believe the poorest should suffer this tax, will not be so popular. Regarding the actual figures (none are really given), was it only 2 people admitted recently with liver disease, when it was 1 ten years ago? So it has 'doubled'. Wow. frankyboy

2:10pm Tue 19 Mar 13

argo2013 says...

I have a friend who reckons he is a moderate drinker,he is in hospital dying with oral cancer,so probably you will say that i made that up ,like the article in the paper, denial,denial,denial
.
I have a friend who reckons he is a moderate drinker,he is in hospital dying with oral cancer,so probably you will say that i made that up ,like the article in the paper, denial,denial,denial . argo2013

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