New strategy to tackle alcohol abuse in Blackpool

Although average levels of alcohol consumption in the resort are in line with national figures, more residents end up in hospital due to very heavy drinking habits.

In a report to the council’s Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee, director of public health Dr Arif Rajpura warns: “Blackpool’s residents experience greater alcohol-related harms in the forms of dependence, hospital admissions and deaths.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, alcohol consumption in England rose, particularly in the heaviest drinkers who are most at risk of alcohol harm.

“Levels of increasing and higher risk drinking in England rose and have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.”

Action to help the heaviest drinkers in Blackpool includes a Lower My Drinking app, restrictions on the opening of new off-licences in areas where there are already a lot of shops selling alcohol, and lobbying for minimum pricing to control the sale of cheap booze.

The report says there were 1,740 alcohol-specific hospital admissions of Blackpool residents in 2020/21, of which around two thirds were men, which represents a rate more than twice the England average.

Provisional data shows there were 48 deaths in Blackpool in 2021, wholly due to alcohol, with an average of 43 such deaths a year over the last decade, with liver disease the main cause.

Treatment services to help people in Blackpool break their dependence on alcohol are provided by Horizon working with Delphi Medical and Renaissance.

Date from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring Service (NDTMS) shows in 2020/21, there were 693 clients seen in structured treatment in Blackpool with an alcohol problem.

Of these, 394 were receiving treatment for alcohol only, whilst 299 had a problem with alcohol and at least one other drug.

A new action plan is due to be in place by December which includes drop-in same day assessment clinics for alcohol only clients, and more work to follow up on referrals who do not attend clinics.

There will also be enhanced recovery support through routine follow up contacts at three and six months after discharge from treatment.

A Horizon worker will also be placed alongside children’s services, and there will be community sites for clinics including in Claremont.