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New figures show £2.9m a year spent treating alcohol problems
Last year saw the highest number of people treated at county hospitals for alcohol-related issues in at least five years.
Nearly 3,000 people were admitted to Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals in 2011 suffering from alcohol-related illnesses or injuries.
Kettering treated 1,339 patients and Northampton 1,598 people. An NHS Northamptonshire spokesman said: “Reducing alcohol-related admissions is a top priority and we’re working with the police, councils and voluntary organisations to tackle this.
“People are admitted for a variety of reasons where alcohol may be a factor, ranging from high blood pressure to alcohol poisoning, falls and chronic conditions such as liver disease. While there’s now less money available for alcohol treatment than in previous years we hope to continue to reduce the number of admissions by providing more community-based services to support patients with alcohol problems and integrating health services across the county.”
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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Comments
There are 6 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
KEEP ME NUT DOWN
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 09:27 AMIf people were allowed to drink alcohol in the grounds of our hospitals while waiting to be treated or visiting etc.. there would be an outcry.... So why does this country tolerate people smoking in the hospital grounds outside A&E depts etc...On recent visits to Kettering Hospital and Northampton there are people standing around smoking, while inside people are being treated for lung deseases etc at tax payers expense for smoking related illnesses.Makes me wonder what goes on in this country whether the goverment really wants to stop the problems both Alcohol and Smoking cause .....or is the tax they both generate worth more than the people health ? I think we all know the answer to that. !!!!!!
Quiet Rebel
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 07:41 AMOur culture shows daily through the media that drink solves your problems, programmes show that at the sign of trouble or stress actors reach for a bottle. It doesn't solve a thing and that message certainly never gets across to viewers, we all know the horrors of binge drinking, we see it continuously on the news but all in all we fail our young people by almost saying if things aren't so good just have a few stiff drinks. Educating children isn't just done through schools the media and programme writers should be more sensible in how they portray drinking issues in soaps etc.
DaveTurner
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 02:19 AMSee, now people from Corby can't say that they don't have money spent on them! LOL, kidding....
KEVJS
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 09:11 PM@MrK If these alcoholics didn't buy the drinks, there wouldn't be £3 million tax to be put to better use.
Mrk
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 03:24 PM@TheCount. I see your point but couldn't that money be put to better use? Alcohol related illnesses and injuries are a drain on the already stretched NHS - not to mention the cost to the tax payer with weekend policing of our town centres. I'm not sure what the answer is but maybe more resources could be thrown into education along with a tougher approach to those that are repeat visitors to A&E Departments with alcohol related injuries.
TheCount
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 11:20 AMSay these 3000 people drink on average about 20 pints a week, they might pay about £3 million per year in tax between them. They seem to be paying for their own care.
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