Manchester well above average in alcohol-related deaths and hospital trips

Alcohol-related deaths in Manchester are far above the regional average, and alcohol-related hospital admissions are almost double – but students are not to blame.

Deaths caused by alcohol in Manchester were over one and a half times the regional average, with 184 people dying from alcohol abuse compared to the average North West figure of 112.

Despite the stereotype of the drunken student, the figures, released by Alcohol Concern, show that the 16-24 age group had far less hospital admissions related to alcohol last year than any other group.

The 25-54 year old age group had 6,543 admissions, 55-74 year olds accounted for 5,347, and people 75 years old and above had 2,512 hospital admissions related to alcohol.

16-24 year olds, the age bracket that would encompass the vast majority of university students, had a comparatively low admission rate of 904.

“It is the common perception that young people are responsible for the increasing cost of alcohol misuse,” said Alcohol Concern Chief Executive Eric Appleby, “but our findings show that in reality this is not the case.”

“It is the middle-aged, and often middle class drinker, regularly drinking above recommended limits, who are actually requiring complex and expensive NHS care.”

There were 120,815 overall hospital admissions related to alcohol this year, almost double the North West average of 62,441.

These admissions cost each adult in Manchester £95, almost £10 more than the average adult in the North West pays.