More women hospitalised for alcohol related problems in Hampshire

However, official figures revealed that the total number of patients in the region who were hospitalised for drinking too much has fallen over the past 12 months, bucking the national trend.

In 2007-8, 663 people were taken to hospital in Hampshire, Southampton and the Isle of Wight with alcohol poisoning, comprising 280 males and 383 females.

The figures, obtained by the Liberal Democrats, represent a two per cent fall from the previous year’s 681 admissions, comprising 288 males and 393 females.

Hampshire recorded 506 hospital admissions in 2007-8, with 84 for Southampton and 73 for the Isle of Wight.

Women and girls outnumbered their male counterparts in all parts of the region.

A breakdown of the figures, which came from the Department of Health, showed a fall in Southampton from 180 to 84 between 2006-7 and 2007-8.

The national total of drink-related hospital admissions rose from 22,284 to 25,657 over the 12- month period.

Liberal Democrat culture spokesman, Don Foster, said: “Many people have assumed that alcohol misuse is mainly a problem for young men, but these figures make clear that we need to do a lot more to educate women about the health consequences of drinking too much.

“Unless we invest in treatment services, put an end to alcohol being sold at pocket-money prices and start educating our children, then these figures are only set to get worse.”

Last week, England’s top doctor called for a ban on booze sold at rock-bottom prices.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, said he wanted a minimum price of 50p for each unit of alcohol a drink contained, which would take the price of an average six-pack of lager to £6.

However, Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, poured cold water on the proposal, saying he did not want to punish all drinkers for the bad behaviour of a few.