Lewisham's alcohol-specific mortality rates have risen, prompting concerns amid cuts to addiction services, according to a report presented at the Lewisham Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on Monday. The report highlighted a concerning trend of increasing alcohol-related deaths and hospital admissions in the borough, alongside a growing unmet need for addiction treatment.
Independent reports found that years of disinvestment in prevention, treatment and recovery for addictive substances had unintended consequences, worsening the health and wellbeing of those vulnerable in Lewisham.
The Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco (DAT) strategic priorities for 2025-28 were discussed at the meeting, aiming to address these issues through a six-pronged approach:
- Culture change and community impact
- Prevention and early intervention
- Minimising harm and protecting health and the environment
- Treatment and recovery
- Community safety
- Emerging challenges, to have a system that is flexible, agile and responsive enough to be able to cope with changing and emerging challenges affecting the populations and communities in Lewisham around alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
The report noted that in Lewisham, alcohol specific mortality rates have risen, along with under 75s mortality rates from alcoholic liver disease and admission episodes for alcohol-specific conditions.
The report stated that in Lewisham's substance using population, there have been increases in hospital admissions for substance misuse in 15–24-year-olds, and in the proportion of those in treatment not showing progress, at the same time as the numbers in treatment were decreasing with a growing unmet need.
Additional funding from the DATRIG and Stop Smoking Services grant provided the opportunity for an injection of investment in services, and requires strategic priorities to direct stakeholders, allowing some flexibility for innovation. The Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco Strategic Priorities July 2025 document outlines the strategic priorities for 2025-2028.
