Alcohol-related hospital stays fall during Covid pandemic

The rate of alcohol-related hospital stays in the first year of the Covid pandemic was down 10% on the previous 12 months, figures show.

However, Public Health Scotland said the fall in numbers between April 2020 and the end of March 2021 could have been affected by Covid measures.

Admission to hospital was tightly restricted during many months.

Official figures on alcohol deaths, released last year, showed 2020 had the highest number in a decade.

The National Records of Scotland statistics showed there were 1,190 alcohol-specific deaths registered in Scotland in 2020, 170 more than the previous year.

The latest PHS figures on alcohol-related hospital admissions showed a rate of 614 per 100,000 of the population in 2020/21, down 10% on the 681 the previous year.

The rate of alcohol-related hospital admission peaked at 855 per 100,000 population in 2007/8.

PHS said there had been a longer term downward trend.

Men more likely

The report said there were 35,124 alcohol-related hospital stays in Scotland in 2020/21.

The majority were treated in acute hospitals but 6% were in psychiatric hospitals.

The hospital stays related to 21,480 patients and about half were admitted for the first time.

Men were 2.3 times more likely than women to be admitted for alcohol-related conditions.

People in the most deprived areas were seven times more likely to be admitted than those in the least deprived areas.

Minimum pricing

Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "Although on the surface the lower hospital admissions rate in 2020/21 appears to be good news, it needs to be seen in the context of a significant increase in alcohol-specific deaths in 2020.

"This may suggest that people were not seeking help when they needed it. There have been reports that fewer people were presenting for medical help in general during the pandemic, possibly due to concerns about placing additional demand on the NHS or fears of catching Covid while in hospital."

Ms Douglas said helping people to reduce how much they drink must remain a priority.

She called for the minimum unit price for alcohol to be raised from 50p per unit to 65p.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats backed that call.

Scottish Conservative public health spokeswoman Sue Webber said: "Alcohol deaths are at their highest level since 2008 on the SNP's watch and it is our poorest communities who are suffering the most.

"Scotland continues to have significant issues in treating alcohol and drug-related issues - that has got far worse since the SNP came to power."

A Scottish government spokesman said: "These statistics cover a period which was wholly impacted by the pandemic and it is not possible to draw longer-term conclusions from them.

"We know the restrictions in place on the hospitality industry due to the pandemic have impacted on people's drinking behaviour, and 2020 saw more alcohol being consumed at home which is cheaper and a less controlled environment than pubs and bars.

"We are taking a range of actions to reduce alcohol-related harms, including reducing deaths and hospitalisations, through our two alcohol strategies - the Alcohol Framework and Rights, Respect and Recovery."