Sobering fact as hundreds people are treated by Hartlepool’s hospital trust for alcohol issues

Many of them have liver disease and die while they’re admitted, say health bosses.

And the average age of the people who die is 54, statistics show.

Bosses at the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust revealed the figures as they launched a ‘one week alcohol free’ initiative to start on Monday, February 25.

They’re asking the people of Hartlepool and the North Tees area to switch to water for seven days.

They’re encouraging members of the public to note their experiences during their week of sobriety and then send them to the trust through their Facebook page or via Twitter.

Deputy medical director, Professor Jane Metcalf said: “It’s absolutely vital that people manage their relationship with alcohol – taking a week off is the perfect opportunity to do that. We are urging the people of North Tees and Hartlepool to reduce their risks by reducing their drinking.

“It’s important that everyone understands exactly what one unit of alcohol is, so they are more self-aware of excessive consumption.”

Since January 2017, the trust has seen over 600 alcohol related admissions through its doors. Many of these patients have liver disease and die during this admission, at an average age of 54 years old, said trust officials.

In the North East, there is a 45% higher death rate from liver disease than anywhere else in the country. People are being urged not to become a statistic, and make a change.

The trust is launching a ‘One Week Alcohol Free’ initiative and is encouraging as many people as possible to get involved.

Taking a week out allows a person to reflect on their relationship with alcohol, and create healthier habits, said officials.

The UK Chief Medical Officer’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines recommend adults to drink no more than 14 units per week (one unit = half a pint of lager), and these should be spread over at least three days. Currently, 1 in 4 adults knowingly exceed this advice.

The more alcohol people drink, the greater their risk of developing a number of serious potentially life limiting health conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as 7 types of cancer. Regular drinking also leads to weight gain and obesity, which is associated with many more health problems.

Public Health England and charity DrinkAware have recently partnered to introduce the ‘Drink Free Days’ initiative. The campaign encourages middle aged drinkers to use the tactic of taking more days off from drinking as a way of reducing their health risks from alcohol.