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Alcohol and drugs

In Staffordshire, 27.4% of adults drink more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol a week, higher than national of 22.8% (Health Survey for England).
The percentage binge drinking on their heaviest drinking day is 22.4%, higher than national (15.4%) and the highest of similar authorities (Health Survey for England).
Nationally consumption is known to be highest among males, the highest incomes and the 55-64 age group.

Alcohol Consumption in Staffordshire

Source: Health Survey for England (2015-18)

Following on from higher than average alcohol consumption in Staffordshire, alcohol hospital admissions in adults remains a key issue. Staffordshire has the highest rate of all its statistical neighbours and higher than England.
In Staffordshire there were 6,200 alcohol related adult admissions during 2019/20, with rates increasing.
Nearly all (7) of Staffordshire’s districts have rates higher than the national average.

Alcohol related admissions (2019/20)

Alcohol and Drugs2

Note: This measure is a synthetic estimate, calculated by applying “fractions” where the primary diagnosis is an alcohol-related condition, or a secondary diagnosis is an alcohol-related external cause. Source: Public Health England.

Alcohol treatment and mortality

Successful completion of alcohol treatment is used as the key proxy measure of recovery, with improvements seen in Staffordshire - 42% of alcohol users successfully completed treatment, above national and represents an improved picture from 2018 (34%).

Trends in successful completion of alcohol treatment

Source: Local Alcohol Profiles (PHE)

Despite rising hospital admissions in Staffordshire, alcohol related mortality remains stable at 47 per 100,000 and is similar to national.

There were nearly 300 alcohol specific deaths recorded in Staffordshire (2017-19). The male rate is decreasing and is now lower than national, however in contrast the female rate remains higher than national.

In addition, there were around 350 alcohol related deaths in Staffordshire (2019), with rates similar to national. Rates among males are twice as high as females.

Rates of alcohol related mortality are highest in East Staffordshire and alcohol specific mortality highest in Newcastle.

Alcohol related and specific mortality

Source: Local Alcohol Profiles (PHE)

Drug treatment and mortality

It is estimated (2017) that there are approximately 3,850 opiate and/or crack adult users in Staffordshire.
There were 1,550 opiate users and 200 non-opiate adult users in treatment in 2020/21.
Planned exits from treatment remained at about half of all clients exiting treatment during 2019/20 and 2020/21 – similar to national.

Planned exits from treatment

Alcohol and Drugs5

Source: Public Health England and National Drug Treatment Monitoring System

In Staffordshire, there are on average 55 deaths per year related to drug poisoning. In line with national trends, the rate of mortality (6.7 per 100,000) has increased locally and remains similar to national.
The highest mortality rate was in Cannock Chase with 10.9 per 100,000 (about 10 deaths per year).

Trends in mortality related to drug poisoning