Burnley and Padiham people 'drinking themselves to death' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley and Padiham people 'drinking themselves to death'

6:30am Tuesday 5th August 2008 in

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MEN and women in Burnley and Padiham are drinking themselves to death — despite dire warnings by health chiefs.

Health leaders from East Lancashire Primary Care Trust have launched an ongoing campaign to save one million years of life.

But in 12 months drinkers in Burnley appear not to have heeded their medics’ best advice, as mortality rates remain sky-high and the numbers of months of life lost to the bottle continues to be among the worst in England.

On average men die more than 15 months earlier in Burnley than elsewhere - the fifth worst location nationwide - according to newly released figures from the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO).

And the death rate from chronic liver disease among men has worsened marginally from 2007 to 2008, with the borough now fourth worst in England, instead of fifth.

Lancashire Telegraph medical expert Dr Tom Smith said people should take more responsibility about how much they drink.

And Dr Ellis Friedman, director of public health at East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, said the government should bring in legislation to make alcohol cost more to battle the problems of booze-related ill health.

The figures show that 60 deaths in every 100,000 are attributable to alcohol and booze-related hospital admission rates for under 19s, men and women are among the most significant in the UK.

Nearly 320 people in Burnley and Padiham claim incapacity benefit because of alcoholism, the sixth worst area in England.

The borough also rates in the worst fifth of areas for alcohol-related violent and sexual crimes, according to the statistics.

Neighbouring Pendle fares slightly better in the NWPHO study, which is used as a benchmark by health professionals about the combined effects of alcohol on all aspects of society.

But there still 184 people in Pendle claiming sickness benefit because of their drink problems and 98 youngsters who have turned up at either Burnley General or the Royal Blackburn hospitals’ admission wards because of conditions linked to boozing.

Dr Friedman said the Government should give “serious consideration” to the pricing of alcohol.

He said: “These are big issues in terms of how alcohol should be legislated for.

“The evidence shows that people are cost-sensitive in terms of alcohol and the cheaper it is the more people will drink.

“Some parts of the world, such as Scandanavia, have gone down the route of making it more expensive and that has had success.”

He also said the PCT was working hard with Burnley council, Lancashire County Council and police to educate and enforce people in East Lancashire about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Dr Tom Smith added: “I am not suprised by these figures in Burnley as alcohol problems in poorer districts are always worse.

“There are two main effects of drinking too much alcohol.

"One is liver disease and the failure of the liver and the other is brain disease and what is called alcoholic encephalopathy.

"It brings on a dementia-like syndrome where people forget what they said.

“I also think people don't realise just how much they are drinking these days.

"People think if they only drink at weekends they can get away with it but they can’t.”