A 24 per cent rise in the number of people in Renfrewshire who died as a direct result of alcohol last year has been branded “really concerning”.

A total of 52 deaths were attributed solely to alcohol in the area in 2023 – representing a “significant increase” from the 42 recorded in 2022.

The figures, which were published by National Records of Scotland earlier this month, were discussed at the integration joint board (IJB) on Wednesday.

Councillor Fiona Airlie-Nicolson, member of the IJB, said: “It’s just really concerning – 24 per cent is a significant increase when it’s alcohol-related or direct alcohol.”

Laura Howat, head of mental health, learning disability and alcohol and drugs recovery services, shared the concern expressed about the rise in alcohol deaths.

She confirmed the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) has appointed an alcohol deaths working officer for a fixed-term period of one year.

Ms Howat explained: “We want to actually understand the people behind the numbers and the statistics to understand their circumstances and do some of that analysis in relation to understanding what’s happened in those particular cases.

“Were people in touch with services? If not, why not? What are our referral pathways? Are they working?

“And get some information from that that will give us a clearer picture that we can work in partnership with the ADP to take that forward.”

A report, which was discussed at the IJB, said the ADP aims to reduce alcohol-related harms by making sure everyone can access high-quality treatment and recovery services in a timely manner.

John Goldie, chair of the ADP, said: “As part of the ADP, we were at a meeting with the Scottish Government just last week where all ADPs came together to begin to review those alcohol figures.

“Unfortunately the picture across the majority of Scotland is very similar in terms of the increase in alcohol deaths, so Renfrewshire is not necessarily an outlier but it is one of the areas with some of the highest figures within Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“The ADP is doing a number of targeted actions within Renfrewshire.”