Health experts are warning drinkers to know their limits following a sharp rise in the number of people in Suffolk admitted to hospital for alcohol-related problems.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Hospital, which is one of the hospitals which has seen a rise in the number of people admitted for alcohol-related reasons. Picture: GREGG BROWNIpswich Hospital, which is one of the hospitals which has seen a rise in the number of people admitted for alcohol-related reasons. Picture: GREGG BROWN

Men and women should not consume more than 14 units of alcohol per week, which is equivalent to either six pints of beer, seven glasses of wine or 14 single shots of spirits, according to the Government.

Before these changes, which were introduced in January 2016, the limit was set at 28 units a week. The guidelines were drawn up by the Chief Medical Officers of the UK and were the first major update since 1995.

Data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows 14,580 people in Suffolk during 2015/2016 were admitted to hospital with alcohol-related issues as a primary reason or a secondary diagnosis - an average of 40 people a day.

And there has been a big increase in the number of over-65s in hospital where alcohol was linked to the main diagnosis. In 2008/09 the figure was 983, but last year it rose 57% to 1,541. In contrast, fewer youngsters are frequently drinking at hazardous levels.

East Anglian Daily Times: Recommended alcohol limits for men and womenRecommended alcohol limits for men and women (Image: Archant)

Wine (ABV 13%)

125ml glass = 1.6 units

175ml glass = 2.3 units

250ml glass = 3.3 units

Bottle = 10 units

Beer

Regular pint (4%) = 2.3 units

Strong pint (5.2%) = 3 units

Extra strong (8%) = 4.5 units

Spirits (ABV 40%)

25ml single shot = 1 unit

50ml double shot = 2 units

Alcopops (ABV 5.5%)

275ml bottle = 1.5 units

(Source: NHS)

General advice

• Do not drink over 14 units a week. Fourteen units is equivalent to a bottle and a half of wine or five pints of export-type lager (5% abv) over the course of a week. For both men and women.

• If you drink as much as 14 units per week, spread this evenly over three days or more.

• If you have one or two heavy drinking sessions, you increase your risks of death from long-term illnesses and from accidents and injuries.

• The risk of developing illnesses, such as cancers of the mouth, throat and breast, increases with any amount you drink on a regular basis.

• To help cut down your weekly alcohol intake, include several alcohol-free days each week.

Single drinking sessions

• Drinking slowly, with food, and alternating with water.

• Avoid risky places and activities, ensure you have people you know around, and ensure you can get home safely.

Drinking and pregnancy

• The safest approach is to not drink at all, even if you are planning to be pregnant.

• Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink the greater the risk.

• If you have just discovered you are pregnant and you have been drinking then you shouldn’t automatically panic as it is unlikely in most cases that your baby has been affected; though it is important to avoid further drinking.

Meanwhile, alcohol abuse is no longer a “young person problem”, said Dr Tony Rao, co-chairman of the older people’s substance misuse working group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

He said: “It’s very concerning that while the rest of the population, including younger people, reduces its alcohol intake, baby boomers are drinking at a similar rate as before – and exceeding recommended guidelines.

“People expect to live longer, so they aren’t slowing down just because they’re in their 60s.

“This is a wake-up call to everyone to take stock of their drinking behaviour to reduce the chance of developing serious alcohol-related mental health problems such as long-term memory damage.”

Nationally, the research found that men and women aged 45 to 64 are more likely to binge drink than others. It also showed that the highest earners – those earning £40,000 or more per year – were more likely to be frequent drinkers and binge on their heaviest drinking day compared with the lowest earners.

Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s police and crime commissioner, said: “It’s still disturbing when you look at drink-and-drive figures. It is much lower than many years ago, but there is still an irresponsible, idiotic minority who somehow think they are above the law, putting themselves at risk and others.

“Of course, by definition, people who drive covers a whole range and I think I am right in saying it is that middle-aged group that are more likely to get caught drink-driving.”

Overall, the ONS figures revealed an 11% increase in the number of hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption where an alcohol-related disease, injury or condition was the primary reason or a secondary diagnosis between 2012/13 and 2015/16 in Suffolk. The figure rose from 13,150 to 14,580 - an average of 40 people a day last year.

Broken down by ward, there was a 25% rise in Suffolk Coastal, from 1,980 to 2,470, and a 20% rise in Ipswich, from 2,260 to 2,720. There were 16% rises in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, to 1,810 and 1,770 respectively, an 11% rise in St Edmundsbury to 2,370 and an 8% rise in Forest Heath to 1,140. It fell only in Waveney, by 13% to 2,290.

The age breakdowns were made available only in the primary diagnosis report. For the over-65s in Suffolk, the number admitted to hospital rose from 983 in 2008/09 to 1,541 in 2015/16; a rise of 57%.

For 40-64 year olds, it increased from 1,572 to 1,937. For the under 40s, there was a rise from 811 to 834, but last year’s figure of 834 was the lowest since records began in 2008/09.

Dr Christopher Browning, chairman of the NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Some use alcohol as a way of coping with emotional issues such as stress or depression. For others, excessive drinking can creep up gradually through regular after-work drinks or socializing.”

Charlie Pemberton-De-ath, 22, a superviser at the Spread Eagle pub in Ipswich, said: “The Bank Holidays have a lot of people getting ridiculously drunk as you get a lot of amateur drinkers who try to keep up. But I have never been clubbing and am not a big drinker. A lot of my friends don’t really go out to drink either.”

A 2014 report found more than 20,000 people in Suffolk are alcohol-dependent. One in seven put themselves at risk by drinking up to 50 units a week. The social and economic cost of excessive drinking is worth £143 million.

Suffolk County Council said: “Tackling the number of people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol is a priority for us and service provider Turning Point.”