Council leader says alcohol harm data 'alarming'

Alcohol deaths have fallen slightly across Northumberland, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports

The rate of deaths linked to alcohol in Northumberland is far higher than the national average, figures presented to a health board have revealed.

The statistics, presented to the Northumberland Health and Wellbeing Board last week, also showed the rate of hospital admissions was higher than the national average.

Northumberland county council leader Glen Sanderson called the figures "alarming" and asked health experts to outline plans to tackle the problem over the next year.

A report discussed at the meeting said a "system-wide" alcohol strategy was currently in development in the area.

The alcohol strategy, the report added, would focus on "prevention and community asset-based approaches".

The council's deputy director of public health, Jim Brown, acknowledged the issue was a "challenge" and said it presented an "opportunity to do better", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He said the challenge could be addressed and progress made if services were well-funded and if the council could "influence national policy and align everything locally".

Brown said the number of people accessing services had increased in recent years but added: "We also need to influence the views of our population."

Sanderson requested that a full report on the plan to deal with the issue should come before the board in the future.