Alcoholic liver cirrhosis has increased by 42% over the last five years to almost 5,000 cases a year, figures released by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.
Parliamentary Questions also revealed that over the last five years there was:
- A 17.2% increase in alcohol-related liver disease - with up to 14,500 cases last year
- A 41% increase in alcoholic hepatic failure - with up to 1,200 cases last year
- A 15.3% increase in alcoholic hepatitis - with over 1,400 cases last year
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:
“Such a dramatic increase in liver disease raises serious concerns about the enormous damage that alcohol misuse is doing to our nation’s health.
“It’s hardly surprising that after a decade of Government inaction we’re now seeing the horrendous long-term health problems that alcohol misuse can cause.
“Ministers claim to be making progress on alcohol misuse, but with millions of adults still drinking hazardous amounts these figures are only set to get worse.
“We need a radical new approach to the alcohol-related problems in this country. Parents, young people, and the alcohol industry must all play their part if we’re to have any hope of dealing with the country’s binge drinking culture.”
