Alcohol abuse costs £120m per year in Barnsley
The cost of alcohol abuse has been estimated in new data, which shows £120m a year being spent in Barnsley on the health and social harms of drinking.
The research that found the highest cost is due to crime and disorder, costing the taxpayer £66.9m per year in the borough.
This is followed by a £24.3m burden on the NHS, £18.3m costs to the wider economy, and £11.3m for social services.
Across the last five years, alcohol-related hospital admissions in Barnsley have been consistently above the national level and have risen by more than eight per cent.
Hospital admissions in Barnsley for alcohol-specific conditions are 26 per cent higher than in Yorkshire and Humber and 29 per cent higher than across England.
Across the last five years, hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions have been consistently above the national average rising on year, and are now almost five per cent higher than they were in 2016/17.
A review by the Local Government Association found that there is a ‘social norm’ of ‘significant drinking’ in Barnsley.
The report adds that work is ongoing to tackle the issue, via Barnsley’s Alcohol Alliance group, made up of representatives from the council, Barnsley Hospital, and Recovery Steps.
A nurse-led alcohol care team has supported patients attending Barnsley Hospital who are alcohol dependent, present with acute intoxication or have other alcohol-related issues.
This data will be used by Barnsley Council to identify areas of unmet need, and the report will be discussed by the authority’s overview and scrutiny committee at their next meeting on July 23.