Thousands treated for booze-related issues

And the number in most areas is higher than the average across England for 2013/14.

In Wolverhampton there were 1,566 people per 100,000 admitted due to booze, compared to 1,393 in Sandwell, 1,373 in Dudley and 1,321 in Walsall, with 1,105 in Staffordshire. The England average is 1,253.

There also continues to be huge variations between the most deprived and the least deprived areas – hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions were 55 per cent higher in the most deprived.

But the figures also show a further drop in the rate of hospital admissions due to alcohol among under-18s, which Public Health England said was evidence of a continuing decline in young people's harmful drinking.

Nationally, alcohol-specific hospital admissions for under-18s over the last three years are down to 13,725 – a fall of 41 per cent against the earliest comparable figures, 22,890 between 2006 to 2007 and 2008 to 2009.

And locally, under 18s admissions were all higher than the national average of 40.1 per 100,000, apart from Wolverhampton where the figure was 34.3.

In Staffordshire it was 43.9, and 48.8 in Walsall, 45.9 in Dudley and 43.1 in Sandwell.

Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and well-being at Public Health England, said: "The decline in hospital admissions from alcohol for under-18s is promising, but current levels of harm caused by alcohol remain unacceptably high.

"This is epecially true within the most deprived communities, who suffer the most from poor health in general.

"Much of this harm is preventable and we need further action at a national and local level to implement the most effective evidence based policies.

"Public Health England will continue to provide leadership and support to local areas to reduce the devastating harm that alcohol can cause to individuals, families and communities."

Deaths related to alcohol remain at similar high levels to those reported over the past decade with more than 20,000 deaths in 2013.

Last year it emerged alcohol-related healthcare cost the NHS £106.6 million in one year in the region.

Each adult treated by the NHS for alcohol-related illnesses or injuries costs between £62 and £74 in the Black Country and Staffordshire.

According to the figures, men in the 55 to 75 age range are the most likely to be admitted to hospital due to alcohol misuse.