Sussex alcohol deaths rise

A record number of people died from alcohol-related conditions in the South East in 2020

New figures reveal a record number of people died across the South East last year from alcohol-related conditions.

3,132 people died, a 6% rise on 2019 when just under 3,000 lost their lives.

Public Health Data names Sussex as one of the county’s in the region with the highest alcohol mortality rate, with 343 people dying in 2020.

A further look at the figures also reveals nearly 142,000 hospital admissions were made for alcohol-related illnesses across the region, up 10% from the previous year.

UK Addiction Treatment Group’s Head of Treatment, Nuno Albuquerque, comments; “2021 has seen record-breaking admissions for alcohol addiction treatment. We believe this is a direct fall-out from the Covid-19 pandemic where unfortunately more people than ever turned to alcohol as a coping strategy, and for some, this developed into addiction.

“This can be a difficult time of the year for a lot of people, regardless of the added stress and worry of the on-going Covid crisis. We’re urging people to try to avoid using alcohol as a way to mask or cope with their emotions. Please remember that although it is a legal substance, it is very dangerous and can have a real impact on your mental health.

“If you’re struggling, we recommend talking to a loved one or a professional, or going for a walk and enjoying nature which is wonderful at this time of year.”

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Greatest Hits Radio app.