Booze link for 550 people a month admitted to hospital in Staffordshire

The county's hospitals are being put under more pressure by binge drinkers than most others in England, new figures show.

Between April 2015 and March 2016, 759 people per 100,000 were admitted due to alcohol issues compared to a national average of 651 per 100,000.

In total, the county saw around 6,600 alcohol-related hospital admissions for 2015/16.

The figures come as Staffordshire County Council is proposing £3.4 million cuts to drug and alcohol support services – a move which more than 40,000 people have opposed.

Councillor George Adamson, who is the Labour group's health boss and leader of Cannock Chase District Council, said: "The figures show just how ridiculous this Conservative policy is.

"They are cutting money from prevention when obviously it is a major problem.

"It shows how ludicrous it is not to spend more money on prevention. We understand the need for more prevention and so does the NHS. The only ones who do not seem to is the Conservative group."

Councillor Alan White, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: "After being with left with a £15m shortfall in our Better Care Fund to provide more community care we have had no choice but to review the funding we currently provide to some non-statutory health, care and welfare services.

"Like the people who have signed the petition we do recognise the devastating consequences that alcohol and drugs can have on some people's lives and none of the decisions on funding have been taken lightly.

"We will still be investing £5m a year in drugs and alcohol services and, together with partners, we now need to reshape some services to prioritise support for those Staffordshire residents who need our help for dependency problems the most, with the budget we now have available.

"Alcohol can also contribute to longer term heath conditions such as high blood pressure, which leads to increasing hospital admissions, and part of our role in public health is to encourage people to make the better lifestyle choices and stick within recommended safe drinking limits."

Plans to cut the £3.4m from drug and alcohol support services will be discussed again tomorrow.