Deaths from drug misuse on the rise in Walsall

Shocking statistics have revealed deaths from drug misuse and hospital admissions for alcohol related conditions are on the rise in Walsall in the face of funding cuts.

Adrian Roche, Walsall's head of social inclusion, presented the grim picture to worried members of the social care and health overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday (November 27) night.

The latest data showed the number of deaths from drug misuse in Walsall between 2015-17 was 5.1 per 100,000 - higher than the West Midlands figure of 4.2 and 4.3 for England as a whole.

And the number of drug-related deaths had more than doubled in just four years when the number of deaths stood at 2.4 per 100,000 in 2011-13.

Walsall hospital admissions due to alcohol specific conditions have also risen sharply from 1,355 in 2012/13 to 1,698 to 2017/18.

Mr Roche said the budget for the town's drug and alcohol programme had been reduced by £853,000 between 2015 - when the service was recommissioned - and 2018/19.

A further £350,000 will be cut from the budget during the next financial year leaving £3.37 million for treatment services.

He said: "During that period, money has been taken out of the system and that has had an impact on our services.

"There is a trend of increased hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions and this will probably continue.

"Deaths from drug misuse are higher than the West Midlands and England and suggests the financial impact is having an impact on quality of life."

Mr Roche added the funding cuts meant they did not have resources for preventative initiatives and were having to focus more on clinical treatment for addicts.

Committee chairman Councillor Doug James said: "People are dying as a result of drugs and alcohol misuse.

"Talking about prevention is one thing but what we see here is the hard cost of all this to human life. Initiatives and projects that protect human life should be a priority."

Councillor Diane Coughlan said: "Deaths and hospital admissions have gone up due to a reduction in funding.

"But what we don't see in these figures is the cost to the police, to children's services as a result of children in care and those living in poverty and to clearing up needles around the borough."