Stakeholders gather to develop the Northumberland Alcohol Strategy

13 Mar 2025

Addressing the harms caused by alcohol was the focus as key stakeholders from across Northumberland came together. 

To support the development of a system-wide alcohol strategy the Public Health Team at Northumberland County Council gathered stakeholders from statutory and voluntary services, employers and local commissioners.  

The meeting marked the next stage of the work, and followed a community survey which took place to help understand the views of residents in respect of the use of alcohol.   

Alcohol related hospital admissions in Northumberland are increasing and are higher than the national average.  Alcohol related deaths are decreasing in Northumberland, they are below the regional average, but higher than the national average (20.27 per 100,000 in Northumberland, 13.82 /100,000 in England and 21.57 /100,000 in the North East).  
 
Northumberland County Councillor Veronica Jones, cabinet member for Public Health said: “At January’s Health and Wellbeing Board we looked at the alcohol related hospital admissions and deaths.  We were rightly challenged as a system to outline plans that would tackle the issue, and I am proud to say that by working together we can shape a strategy that does just that.  

“Our new strategy will focus on prevention and community asset-based approaches. Tackling the harm that alcohol misuse can cause is not the responsibility of just one organisation, so by gathering the key people from across the system we can develop a plan of action to deal with the issues in relation to alcohol harm that matter most to the residents of Northumberland.”