Rise in Wirral teenage alcohol deaths - 4th Jan 2011 6:04pm
Shock rise in Wirral teenage alcohol deaths
Twenty-six young people in Wirral died alcohol-related deaths during the period between 2001 and 2008, a special study has revealed.
And recent findings by the North West Public Health Observatory ranked Wirral 323rd out of 326 local authorioty areas for alcohol-specified hospital admissions for the under 18s.
In addition a strategic assessment for Wirral, produced by Wirral NHS for 2009/10 estimated that in the 16-plus age range there were 57,220 drinkers categorised as "hazardous," 16,500 drinkers were classed as "harmful," and 11,852 were shown as "dependent."
The shock findings are contained in a special review, ordered by Wirral Council's scrutiny programme board, of the impact of alcohol on Wirral's young people.
The working party which carried out the review made a series of recommendations to the council which will be studied by the scrutiny programme board tomorrow tonight (Wednesday).
They include:
*A request for the council to recognise the importance and continued prioity of education for young people regarding the dangers of alcolhol misuse.
* Urging the local authotiy to lobby the Home Office to limit the promotion of the sale of alcohol; restrict the use of alcohol as a loss leader by supermarkets and other retail outlets and reducing the scale of proxy sales by imposing greater fines on people buying alcohol for under-age drinkers.
* Calling on the council to engage in the process to introduce a regional minimum price for alcohol in the Merseyside region.
*And pressing for the council to introduce a "cumulative impact policy" - similar to that introduced in Liverpool and Brighton - to tackle the increase in alcohol sales outlets in hotspot areas.
The report also points out that since 2006/7 there has been a continual reduction in alcohol-specific hospital admissions for young people.
This, it said, reflected the significant amount of work done through the Wirral Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.
The report states: "It was apparent during the review that a huge amount of work is taking place in an effort to both educate and guide young people away from alcohol misuse; as well as to reduce the supply of alcohol to young people whever possible."
It also insisted the involvement of parents was critical in educating children about alcohol misuse.
THE GLOBE
Twenty-six young people in Wirral died alcohol-related deaths during the period between 2001 and 2008, a special study has revealed.
And recent findings by the North West Public Health Observatory ranked Wirral 323rd out of 326 local authorioty areas for alcohol-specified hospital admissions for the under 18s.
In addition a strategic assessment for Wirral, produced by Wirral NHS for 2009/10 estimated that in the 16-plus age range there were 57,220 drinkers categorised as "hazardous," 16,500 drinkers were classed as "harmful," and 11,852 were shown as "dependent."
The shock findings are contained in a special review, ordered by Wirral Council's scrutiny programme board, of the impact of alcohol on Wirral's young people.
The working party which carried out the review made a series of recommendations to the council which will be studied by the scrutiny programme board tomorrow tonight (Wednesday).
They include:
*A request for the council to recognise the importance and continued prioity of education for young people regarding the dangers of alcolhol misuse.
* Urging the local authotiy to lobby the Home Office to limit the promotion of the sale of alcohol; restrict the use of alcohol as a loss leader by supermarkets and other retail outlets and reducing the scale of proxy sales by imposing greater fines on people buying alcohol for under-age drinkers.
* Calling on the council to engage in the process to introduce a regional minimum price for alcohol in the Merseyside region.
*And pressing for the council to introduce a "cumulative impact policy" - similar to that introduced in Liverpool and Brighton - to tackle the increase in alcohol sales outlets in hotspot areas.
The report also points out that since 2006/7 there has been a continual reduction in alcohol-specific hospital admissions for young people.
This, it said, reflected the significant amount of work done through the Wirral Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.
The report states: "It was apparent during the review that a huge amount of work is taking place in an effort to both educate and guide young people away from alcohol misuse; as well as to reduce the supply of alcohol to young people whever possible."
It also insisted the involvement of parents was critical in educating children about alcohol misuse.
THE GLOBE