THE director of public health at St Helens Council says the authority is beginning to "stem the rise" in alcohol admissions.

The borough had seen a 35 per cent increase in alcohol-related hospital admissions over 10 years, statistics released by public Health England showed.

The borough saw 5,262 cases of people going into hospital due to alcohol for the year 2017/18, in contrast with 3,897 admissions for 2008/09.

St Helens also saw 100 alcohol-related deaths in 2017, nine less than the previous year, though a five per cent increase on the figure from 2008 (95).

In response to the figures chief executive of addiction treatment specialists UKAT Eytan Alexander called on councils to invest more of their Public Health Grant into local drug and alcohol treatment services, as well as early intervention and awareness campaigns.

Director of public health for St Helens Council Sue Forster said reduction of alcohol harm has been "a key public health priority" for the authority for a number of years.

She said: "We have seen a reduction in both alcohol-related admissions and alcohol-specific admissions between 2016/17 and 2017/18 where alcohol is the determining factor and are beginning to stem the rise. We’re doing so through a holistic range of initiatives, campaigns, and effective community support services."

Ms Forster added: “We are also developing a new multi-agency strategy for 2019/20 through our Alcohol Harm Partnership, which brings together the expertise and experience of our partners, including our community alcohol service Change, Grow, Live (CGL), St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group, Merseyside Police and social care and voluntary organisations including Salvation Army, YMCA, Citizens Advice and Footsteps.

“The strategy focuses on prevention and early intervention, treatment and recovery, and enforcement and control. We want to create a responsible drinking culture in St Helens, train our front line services to better identify and signpost people at risk of alcohol harm, and improve our alcohol services so that they attract and retain people who can benefit from them.

“Alcohol harm remains a key challenge in St Helens and other parts of the country – one that we must meet despite continuing reduction in government funding – but we are committed to reducing alcohol harm and creating a healthier borough.”