More than 280 people were admitted to hospitals in the

Bristol area due to drug problems last year, according to new

figures.

The Department of Health data shows that more than half of

admissions for drug poisoning and drug-related mental health

disorders in the former Avon area from 2006 to 2007 were in the

Bristol local authority, where a total of 155 people went into

hospital.

The latest figures form part of an annual report carried out

by the Government to determine just how many people are using

drugs across the country.

As well as the numbers of hospital admissions by primary

care trust – the local authority areas that commission health

services – the report had statistics for the number of

under-16s taking drugs and figures for drug-taking by age,

gender and type of substance.

In Bristol 139 people were admitted to hospital for drug

poisoning, much lower than in Leeds, which reported the highest

number of admissions with 236 during the 12-month period. In

the South West the next highest number of admissions was in

Devon where there were 103 cases.

Bristol recorded 16 hospital admissions for mental health

and behavioural disorders associated with drug-taking, while

Somerset had 115.

In Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) there were 43

drug poisoning incidents, 29 in North Somerset and 35 in South

Gloucestershire.

Drug-associated mental health admissions accounted for eight

cases in B&NES, eight in South Gloucestershire and less

than six in North Somerset, although the PCT would not reveal

the exact figure.

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust said that

drug-related diagnosis accounted for about 1.6 per cent of all

people admitted to hospital in 2006 to 2007. In North Bristol

drug-related admissions accounted for 1.7 per cent of all

admissions.

Associate director of public health in Bristol, Barbara

Coleman, said: "Treatment for drug misuse is a priority in

Bristol. Figures for the treatment of drug misuse will be

higher than elsewhere in the South West as we've got many more

problem drug misusers in Bristol than any other area in the

South West. However, we're making significant improvements to

care in Bristol.

"In Bristol there are estimated to be around 8,000 drug

misusers and more than 50 per cent are currently in some form

of treatment programme."

Initiatives in the city include shared-care services with

GPs supported by experts such as the Bristol Drugs Project.

There are also specialist nurses at the BRI who are able to

recognise if a patient admitted for any reason, is a drug

misuser. They can then ensure the patients get appropriate

care. These nurses are also training other nurses to recognise

drug misusers and to be able to refer patients on to other

services.