This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Alcohol related emergency admissions increase
15/12/2005
A report out today confirmed Scotland's culture of drinking is causing more damage to the nation's health and placing an increasing burden on the NHS.
The Clinical Indicators 2005, published by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, shows increases in the rate of emergency admissions for acute intoxication, alcoholic liver disease and chronic liver disease between 1996 and 2004.
Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"Scotland has a long established culture of heavy drinking which carries a significant financial and human cost to society. We all need to face up to the massive problems this causes.
"Drinking too much can cause long term health problems including liver damage and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. It can also increase the risk of breast cancer.
"The figures out today show that emergency admissions for alcohol related disease and conditions have increased - in some cases more than doubled.
"Further statistics will be released early next week by Information Statistics Division on alcohol related ill health and mortality, which are likely to tell a very similar story.
"This report underlines the scale of the problem. That is why we are taking extensive measures to tackle alcohol misuse and binge drinking.
"Government has a role to play in tackling alcohol related problems. But each and every one of us has a responsibility to respect alcohol and drink sensibly.
"Our licensing system dated back to the 1970's, and not longer reflected Scottish society in the 21st century. That is why we passed legislation to reform outdated licensing laws.
"The new licensing laws will respond to changing habits and behaviour. These reforms include measures to tackle the irresponsible promotions that fuel binge drinking.
"We also have a plan for action on alcohol which sets out long term measures to reduce alcohol related harm in Scotland. We will continue to educate people about the dangers of drinking to excess.
"We will publish an update of the plan early in the new year. It will set out to build a Scotland in which we treat alcohol with respect and understand the consequences that excessive drinking brings.
"Clearly changes in behaviour cannot be achieved overnight.
"This is why we are committed to working with bodies including the NHS, the licensed trade, local authorities, schools, parents, the police and voluntary organisations to achieve a major cultural shift."
The report shows that between 1996 and 2004, the rate of emergency admission has risen:
- 40 per cent for men and 30 per cent for women with acute intoxication and harmful use
- 73 per cent for men and 81 per cent for women with alcoholic liver disease
- 92 per cent for men and 100 per cent for women with chronic liver disease
- 80 per cent for men and 56 per cent for women with chronic pancreatitis
- 50 percent for men and 33 per cent for women with oesophageal varices
The increase in reported incidences of chronic alcohol related disease should be seen as further reinforcement about the damaging effect that the sustained and excessive consumption of alcohol can have on health over time.
The plan for action on alcohol has, among other things, led to:
- the launch of national communications campaigns to target binge drinking amongst young people
- £10m being made available to local Alcohol Action Teams during 2005/06 and a commitment to making these same sums available in 2006/07 to tackle alcohol problems. This is in addition to existing resources to tackle alcohol problems currently provided in NHS Board and local authority general allocations
- agreement that Alcohol Action Teams be assessed in terms of their current contribution to the delivery of the Plan and ensuring that Best Value is being secured from our investment in them. The last such review took place in 1999 and since then both the resources and demands placed upon these teams has increased considerably
- development of a national alcohol information resource for those who plan and provide alcohol problem services
- implementation of a support and treatment services framework for use by all who plan, commission and manage alcohol support and treatment services for people in the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors
- publication of a guide for parents to help them talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol