Staffordshire expert says more must be done to tackle 'catastrophic' alcohol deaths

There has been a "catastrophic" rise in deaths caused by drinking, leading public health experts have said.

The Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) has called for urgent action from the Health Secretary to redress the "alarming trend".

In a letter to Wes Streeting, the Alliance - which is made up of medical royal colleges, charities, treatment providers and academics - highlights how deaths caused "solely by alcohol have increased by a catastrophic 42% since 2019".

Some 8,274 people in England lost their lives to alcohol in 2023, the AHA said, but this is just the "tip of the iceberg" as there will have been many more deaths where alcohol was a contributing factor.

Richard Cooke, Professor Of Health Psychology at University of Staffordshire said: "As a country we drink less per head that places like Italy, but we have more problems. In Italy they tend to spread that consumption over more days but we tend to drink in a binge pattern where you drink on fewer days of the week but you drink more heavily.

"If you look at two people who drink roughly the same amount of alcohol, those people from more disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to suffer both mortality but also morbidity so some form of disability or impairment. These people might have more stressful jobs, less support, and drinking might be being encouraged more."

The groups praised health officials in Scotland for the "life-saving" minimum unit pricing (MUP) scheme but said that "inaction across the border has led English deaths to spiral".

In March 2020, the previous government said there were "no plans for the introduction of MUP in England" although it would continue to monitor the progress of the initiative in Scotland.

And in October this year, when asked whether the current Government had any plans to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol, Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson said: "We are continuing to work closely across government to better understand what can be done to address the drivers of alcohol-related harms."

Richard added: "Evidence from Scotland so far is minimum unit pricing has done what it's supposed to do. I think political will to introduce it in England is not necessarily there at the moment.

"Minimum unit pricing on its own won't stop everyone dying from alcohol, that's just not how it works. It will help some people but you need to look at a range of options. Some of that is social support, something as simple as that. I think we need to look at how people drink, who they drink with and for some stress, and how drinking is a way for some to cope. I think we need to look at coping strategies."

Lord Darzi's hard-hitting review into the NHS in England highlights how alcohol is "becoming more affordable over time, and deaths are rising at an alarming rate".

The AHA letter, seen by the PA news agency, adds that the "alcohol harm crisis" will only escalate if action is not taken to reduce alcohol consumption.

"Deaths caused solely by alcohol have increased by a catastrophic 42% since 2019," the letter states.

"After decades of inaction, we urge you to make it your New Year's resolution to redress this alarming trend and stop needless suffering of countless individuals, their children, families and communities across the country.

"In 2023, 8,274 people lost their lives to alcohol: the sharp end of a spectrum of harm that ripples through society and is putting growing pressures on our economy and health services.

"This number can be seen as the tip of the iceberg as it reflects deaths wholly attributable to alcohol and not those where alcohol was a contributing factor, a figure likely to be three times higher."

The letter highlights that there are almost 950,000 hospital admissions in England each year are related to alcohol.

It adds: "Evidence from Scotland has clearly demonstrated how policies such as minimum unit pricing (MUP) have saved lives, while inaction across the border has led English deaths to spiral."

The authors conclude: "Left unchecked, the alcohol harm crisis will only escalate further, placing an ever-greater burden on our healthcare system, economy and society. We know what works, and now is the time to act."

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the AHA, said: "These new statistics are a stark reminder of the devastating impact alcohol takes on our society, not just in lives lost but in the shattered families and communities left behind.

"Each of the 8,274 deaths in 2023 represents a life cut tragically short, a loved one whose absence leaves a void that can never be filled.

"Alcohol-related harm does not occur in isolation. It ripples through families, often leaving children to bear the brunt of grief and trauma.

"The devastating rise in alcohol deaths should serve as an alarm for the new government to act with urgency."

He added: "We have the evidence, and we know the solutions. Now is the moment to show that we value human lives over profit.

"Without bold, decisive action, these preventable deaths will continue to climb. Addressing alcohol harm must be a top public health priority in 2025, and it requires a cross-government effort to turn the tide on this public health crisis."

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.

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