HOSPITAL attendances to A&E has decreased by 70 percent for injuries relating to drug and alcohol use in Furness.

Statistics revealed via Freedom of Information (FOI) laws reveal the number of attendances in 2019 was at its lowest in four years with only 40 cases.

In 2015 there was 133 cases where injuries had been incurred after consumption of drugs or alcohol, which led to a visit to Accident and Emergency at Furness General Hospital.

David Higham, founder at The Well, said: “I think this is down to a multi-agency approach from different groups around Barrow who are all trying to improve the issue around drugs and alcohol in the area.

“There is more awareness being made of this and more public engagement towards drug related deaths.

“I think there has been a whole community approach to this issue, and there is a number of different variables to consider with these statistics of course, but the work that everyone, like The Well, Cadas, and Furness General, is doing is having an impact.”

Leigh Williams, chief executive officer for Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service, said: “I think that sometimes with these statistics it can be down to the specifics. So I am not sure if it is work that we have done in the community around this that has caused this or not.

“There could be more awareness from people not to go into accident and emergency so eagerly nowadays, so maybe there is an element of that, this would be clearer from information on admission times though, specifically in the early hours.

“At CADAS we are very much about prevention, as we are all vulnerable to be harmed by alcohol.

“We would be delighted to see more businesses engage with us. Furness General Hospital have had us in twice to engage with the community about alcohol awareness. We just need to be more alcohol aware.

“My message is that we need to put more focus on drug and alcohol services, because this is one of the first things people turn to when in a bad way unfortunately.”