Local alcohol-related deaths highest in Greater Manchester

Rochdale has the highest number of alcohol-related deaths in Greater Manchester (stock photo)

Alcohol-related deaths and alcohol-specific deaths are higher in the Borough of Rochdale than any other region in Greater Manchester, according to new figures published on Tuesday (7 November) by Office for National Statistics.

In 2016, 18.9 alcohol-specific deaths per 100,000 were recorded in Rochdale, joint highest with neighbouring Bury.

The average rate across the North West was 14.9 per 100,000, itself higher than the national average in England of 10.4.

Trafford had the lowest number of deaths in Greater Manchester with 12.3 per 100,000.

For women, the figure of 13.9 was the second highest across Greater Manchester, just behind Tameside’s 14.2 per 100,000. Nationally, this figure was 6.8 and 10.4 in the north west.

Alcohol-related mortality rates in Rochdale were well above the national average of 46, with 61.9 people dying per 100,000.

Trafford had the lowest rate in the North West with 44.5, compared to the average of 54.7.

87.3 men died in Rochdale in relation to alcohol, the third highest in Greater Manchester.

The amount of alcohol-related deaths in women was also highest in Rochdale with 38.5, again above both the North West and national averages of 34.8 and 28.8, respectively.

Trafford was again the lowest region in the North West with 27.3 per 100,000.

However, Rochdale women lost less years of their life due to alcohol-related conditions, which was the third lowest number in Greater Manchester. Just 412 years were lost compared to the north west average of 477. Wigan topped the tables with 527 years lost, whilst only Manchester and Trafford were below Rochdale. 

Nationally, 624 years of peoples’ lives were lost due to alcohol: in Rochdale, this was one of the highest rates with 848 years lost. Men lost an average of 1,302 years in the Rochdale borough, behind only Salford’s 1,319.

Mortality from chronic liver disease was highest in Oldham with 21.1 per 100,000, with Rochdale closely following with 20.9. Trafford was once again lowest. However, whilst women in Oldham were most likely to die from chronic liver disease (16.4 per 100,000), women in Rochdale were mid-range with the fifth highest figure recorded for Greater Manchester.

Rochdale experienced one of the highest rates of male deaths from chronic liver disease than any other Greater Manchester region. 27.0 men died from the disease per 100,000 compared to 15.9 nationally and 22.2 in the north west. Oldham experienced similar rates with 26.7, the third highest in Greater Manchester.

The statistics also show that men and women living in the most deprived areas in Rochdale have significantly higher alcohol-specific death rates compared with those living in the least deprived areas, a trend which was also observed nationally.

Whilst nationally the number of older men and women that were admitted to hospital increased, the opposite was true for Rochdale.

The Rochdale borough had some of the lowest figures recorded across all age groups, including the lowest figures for girls under the age of 18 who were admitted to hospital for alcohol-specific conditions in the north west with 32.4 per 100,000.