North East sees largest falls in England in alcohol deaths
Latest figures for alcohol deaths show that the North East saw the biggest reduction in England between 2023-2024.
The fall has been cautiously welcomed by health leaders at Balance, the NHS and local authority public health teams after system wide working to address the worst rate of alcohol deaths and hospital admissions nationally.
The figures from DHSC Alcohol Profiles for England show the North East saw a 17.3% reduction in alcohol-specific deaths from 2023-24 (where death is directly from alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease) and a 9.5% reduction in alcohol-related deaths (where alcohol was a contributing factor). This is the first time alcohol-specific deaths have fallen since 2017.
This follows the North East and North Cumbria seeing a reduction of 14.9% in alcohol related hospital admissions since 2001, with the greatest benefit being seen in the most deprived communities which have seen a reduction of 16.3%.
Despite this, alcohol deaths are still much higher than before the pandemic, with alcohol-specific deaths still 30% higher than in 2019 and alcohol-related deaths are 13% higher.
Dr Neil O’Brien, local GP and chief medical director for the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board: “Our region has the highest level of harm from alcohol in the country, and it is encouraging to see this reduction, thanks to the hard work of the regional NHS and our local partners.
“However, we know that there is much more to do to bring these levels down further.
“Through our joint forward plan, we are working together with other organisations and our communities to try and reduce the harm that alcohol causes to people in our region. This progress aligns with the government’s 10-year health plan, which emphasises prevention, partnership, and investment in community health. Continued focus on reducing alcohol harm is essential if we are to achieve the plan’s vision for a healthier population and a sustainable NHS.”
Dr James Crosbie is clinical lead for alcohol in the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Board, a GP and a consultant gastroenterologist at the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust. He said: “Alcohol causes a range of medical harms. Most people know it causes liver disease, but it also causes seven types of cancer, high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease and stroke, and is a key driver of problems with mental health.
“We saw alcohol harm spike during the pandemic. Concerted action across the health and care system including NHS Alcohol Care Teams offering specialist support in every hospital in the region, and investment in community alcohol treatment has seen an increase in people being getting help into recovery from alcohol addiction, and led to a reduction in demand on our health services.
“Alcohol harm is a problem everywhere in the UK, and while these fall in deaths is a step in the right direction, the North East still feels these pressures most acutely on our health system and in local communities.”
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “The fall in deaths is very welcome, but it is important to recognise that despite more people taking steps to cut down, our region still has the worst rate of deaths and hospital admissions in England.
“Four out of five people in the North East (82%) see alcohol as a big problem regionally and nationally, and yet awareness of alcohol health risks is still worryingly low.. Reducing alcohol harms must be at the forefront of national efforts to build a healthier, safer and more economically productive country. We are proud of the work Balance has been doing to support partners in the North East including running our vital health harms awareness campaigns.”
Alice Wiseman, Vice President of the Association of Directors of Public Health and Director of Public Health for Gateshead and Newcastle, said: “Many alcohol harms are preventable, and it is the product and industry itself driving the problems. We simply can’t afford for alcohol to be taking such a toll on individuals, families and communities and it is staggering to see the impact on frontline services across the North East.
“Local authorities have invested in alcohol support services which together with NHS Alcohol Care Teams are intervening before alcohol use turns into serious disease, lives lost or wrecked. But to tackle the root of the problem we need a whole-population national approach including action on price, promotion and availability combined with awareness and support.”
In 2024 Balance the regional alcohol programme launched “Reducing Alcohol Harm”, a ground-breaking blueprint calling for urgent national action to tackle the significant impact of alcohol on health, social care, crime, disorder, workplaces, and the economy.
This called for more action and investment nationally to reverse rising alcohol harm, continued support for at-risk drinkers, and a call for more awareness campaigns such as Balance’s “Alcohol is Toxic” and “Stigma Kills” from the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Board.
