Minimum price could stem hospital admissions

By Matt Eley Matt

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Minimum price Alcoholism Binge drinking Don foster

Liberal Democrat Don Foster has reiterated calls for a minimum price per unit of alcohol in a bid to reduce hospital admissions. The shadow culture...

Liberal Democrat Don Foster has reiterated calls for a minimum price per unit of alcohol in a bid to reduce hospital admissions.

The shadow culture security recently obtained figures from health minister Ann Keen that show the number of liver transplants involving damage caused by alcohol has gone up by 64 per cent in the last decade.

The figures have led to a debate about who should be eligible for transplants but, in a letter to The Independent​, Foster clarified his stance.

He said: "As a politician, and a flawed human being, I find the idea that doctors should make a moral judgement about whether a person deserved medical treatment or not abhorrent.

"Not least, because I recognise that I have not always lived a blameless life when it comes to my own health. But at the same time, we cannot continue to ignore the fact that hospital admissions rose by 57 per cent over the past five years to almost 800,000."

He continued: "I believe that selling alcohol at a lower price than cost to produce is irresponsible.

"Studies show it is the cheapest alcohol that is of particular appeal to children, binge drinkers and those who suffer from alcohol dependency.

"A recent independent report has shown that setting a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol could see hospital admissions drop by 40,000 a year."

The Publican's​ Make it the Minimum campaign is calling for a minimum price of 50p per unit. Find out more at Make it the Minimum​ and Sign our petition

Related topics Legislation

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