Public Health England heeds fresh warning on alcohol abuse

27 October 2014

Equally, there are clear intentions that PHE will in its own words ‘continue to set out the evidence base for the introduction of a minimum unit price for alcohol’.

It has been no secret that liver disease is on the rise in England, but the PHE have made this a considerable health concern with direct attribution to the growing consumption of alcohol. The report states that ‘from 2001-2012, the number of people who died due to liver disease in England rose from 7,841 to 10,948 – a 40% increase and in contrast to other major causes of disease that have been declining.’

These facts, along with direct correlations to mental health issues, are hard to argue with and highlight just how much of a problem with have in England.

Without a doubt, a whole new system approach is needed to establish what works and what doesn’t; in fact the Royal College of Physicians’ ‘Alcohol Health Alliance’ that brings together top physicians from across the UK, and of which Alcohelp is a member,  is already looking at ways to reduce the harm.

Terry Martin of Alcohelp, comments:

“There is of course a long way to go; for centuries alcohol has been the ‘drug of choice’. That said, we are reaching breaking point in England – in 2012/13 there were 326,000 hospital admissions where alcohol was the main reason for admission. Much more has got to be done to address the issues regardless as to who runs our next Government.”