HIGHER numbers of young people in Wiltshire are going to hospital because of alcohol than national targets.

The figures are echoed across the whole of the south west, where the majority of local authorities have a higher number of under-18s sent to hospital for alcohol-related issues than the official targets.

In Wiltshire 133 young people were admitted into hospital between 2015 and 2018. But the numbers are lower than they were between 2006 and 2009 when 269 young people were sent to hospital fas a direct result of alcohol problems.

And Wiltshire is performing better in all other areas of alcohol-linked hospital admissions, including admissions for alcohol-related and alcohol-specific mortality.

Wiltshire Council says it is determined to help people and cut the numbers being taken to hospital because of alcohol abuse.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “Substance misuse including alcohol can be hugely damaging to individuals and those around them.

“It can lead to serious health conditions, premature death and increased demand on health and social care and the criminal justice system.

“We are determined to help those with drug and alcohol addictions and reduce alcohol-related admissions to hospitals.

“We work in partnership with Wiltshire Police, the police and crime commissioner, the clinical commissioning group, hospitals, probation services and our community drug and alcohol treatment provider, Turning Point, to take a holistic approach in Wiltshire to reducing harm from substance misuse.

“Our work with Turning Point has a focus on prevention, including drop-in events across the county and improved accessibility through online support.

"He added: "Turning Point also delivers innovative approaches to recovery which has increased the number of people successfully recovering from their substance misuse issues. We have also partnered with Club Soda, who champion alcohol free alternatives at festivals, events and licensed premises.”

The authority has an a questionnaire on its website for those concerned about their intake.