Newcastle needs to cut down on the drink.

Health chiefs call for action to tackle city’s drinking problem. Newcastle has experienced a 45% increase in alcohol-specific hospital admissions from 2016/17 to 2022/23, with current figures showing 1,152.3 admissions per 100,000 people, the highest in England’s major cities. Alice Wiseman, Newcastle’s public health director, expressed concerns about the high levels of home drinking and its associated risks, including alcohol-related cancers. Health officials are urging that alcohol be addressed with the same seriousness as tobacco, highlighting the additional strain on local NHS services.