Lothians is Scotland's worst region for excessive drinking

Excessive consumption of alcohol is more widespread in the Lothians than anywhere else in the country, it was revealed last week.

A recent NHS health review has shown that 32 percent of women and 40 percent of men in the Lothians exceed the recommended weekly alcohol limit—the latter being the highest rate in Scotland.

Gillian Bell, a spokesperson for alcohol awareness charity Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “The new figures on excessive consumption don’t come as a surprise — we are well aware that there are far too many people drinking to excess and being admitted to hospital."

The recommended limit is approximately 11 pints of lager per week for men, and seven for women.

Ms Bell added: “While young people binge drinking certainly does play a part, the biggest problem cases tend to be aged 45 to 64.

“We’re campaigning for a minimum price per unit of alcohol, because there are too many drinks that are both very strong and very cheap.”

The figures were made public on Monday at the National Health Service Lothians annual review, chaired by Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

The news comes alongside a further revelation that three out of four people undergoing targeted alcohol screening and “brief intervention” consultations from their GPs in the Lothians show signs of hazardous levels of drinking.

Dr Phil Donnelly, a GP at Edinburgh Access Practice, NHS Lothian, told The Journal: “A brief intervention simply involves a quick chat between the patient and GP or practice nurse allowing patients to weigh up the pros and cons of their drinking, taking into account the medical information from their GP or practice nurse.”

The programme was introduced last year in Lothian, and is part of the Scottish Government’s strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm.

A spokesperson for NHS Lothian said that 6,500 of these consultations had been carried over to July of this year.

Alcohol emergency admissions rose in Lothians hospitals from 545 in every 100,000 in 2003 to 723 per 100,000 this year, and the cost to the health service is estimated at around £6.3 million a year locally.