An in-depth inquiry into Portsmouth’s high level of alcohol related hospital admissions gets under way on Thursday. (4 March 2010)

The extensive review is being undertaken by Portsmouth’s health overview and scrutiny panel which will hear evidence from members of the public who have been affected by drink related issues, health professionals, educationists, the police and interested community organisations.

The panel is made up of councillors on Portsmouth City Council and representatives from surrounding local councils.

Portsmouth has the highest rate of alcohol related hospital admissions in the south east. In 2007/8 the figure was 1,794 per 100,000 of the population, compared with a national average of 1,473 and a south east average of 1,161.

It is estimated that more than 40,000 people in Portsmouth drink at levels that may harm their health. And over 8,000 of them drink at high risk levels – over 35 units a week for women and 50 units for men.

Among the objectives of the inquiry are:

·    To understand the number and categories of alcohol related admissions at Queen Alexandra Hospital at Cosham.
·    To understand the causes and impact of alcohol abuse on different sections of society.
·    To evaluate the impact alcohol related admissions have on Portsmouth City Council services.
·    To understand the work carried out in the prevention of alcohol abuse, treatment services, and enforcement, and also to get the views of service users and the professionals involved.
·    To develop recommendations to improve alcohol abuse/misuse services in the city.

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, Portsmouth’s director of public health and well being, will be the first witness to appear before the panel at a meeting at the Guildhall, Portsmouth, at 2pm on Thursday. (4 March 2010) He will give an overview of alcohol related admissions at Queen Alexandra Hospital showing how it compares nationally.

Consultant Simon Mullett and Debbie Zimmerman, the operational manager for the emergency department, will also give evidence the same day. They will explain the methods used to record alcohol related admissions to the hospital and the referral system to treatment services.

As well as questioning expert witnesses at their meetings, members of the panel will also work shadow key workers who deal with those misusing alcohol, to gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of the complexities involved.

Among other review activities, the panel will be mapping a 24-hour period of the Guildhall Walk area, which has a high density of licensed premises, in order to measure the transformation from day time to night time economy.

Health overview and scrutiny panel chairman Cllr David Horne said: “We are delighted to be undertaking this scrutiny review into what is a major health problem in the city and are looking forward to hearing the views of all agencies and members of the public who will be involved. We want the review to come out with some positive recommendations.”