MORTALITY rates from liver disease as a result of drinking are increasing in Darlington, an investigation by councillors has concluded.

Members of Darlington Borough Council’s health scrutiny committee spent two years looking at how excess alcohol affects different sections of the town’s population.

Although members raised concerns about drinking habits among the adult population, research showed that an increasing number of younger people are turning away from excess alcohol consumption.

In a final report approved by the scrutiny committee at a town hall meeting today, members concluded that raising awareness about the negative impact of alcohol through publicity campaigns was key to helping people make decisions that affect their health.

Doctors should also be encouraged to identify signs of alcohol abuse early on and signpost patients to sources of help to tackle their drinking as soon as possible, members added.

Figures made available to the committee show that alcohol related harm costs the Darlington economy £43.6m a year, split between the cost to the NHS, loss of working hours, social services involvement and crime and licensing costs.

Councillors spoke highly of treatment and rehabilitation services available in the town and noted that every pound invested in adult alcohol treatment resulted in a £5 saving to society.

Committee members made a visit to the Community Abstinence in Recovery Centre, in Victoria Road, and spoke to people receiving treatment there about their experiences and their recovery process.

A visit was also made to the Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) group to give a presentation on the unsafe consumption of units of alcohol and the subsequent harmful effects on the elderly.

The report noted: “It is a myth that issues relating to alcohol abuse affect younger generations. There is some evidence to support the latent onset of alcohol abuse.”

Liver disease as a result of alcohol abuse was a key issue raised by the committee, with NHS figures showing that mortality rates for people of all ages are increasing year on year.

The report added: “Members understand that although the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust is undertaking some work on raising awareness of liver disease, it was considered that more work needs to be done around awareness raising of other serious conditions and health implications to which excessive alcohol consumption could contribute.”