HUNDREDS of people suffered unnecessary 'deaths of despair' in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole over a three-year period, new analysis has found.

In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, there were 155 deaths linked to alcohol, 116 caused by drugs and 102 suicides reported during the same period – which includes the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

In total, there were 373 'deaths of despair', a collective term for deaths from these causes.

It meant the area was ranked 91st out of 308 local authorities in England with a mortality rate of 38.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

Lead author Christine Camacho said specific public health interventions and more wide-reaching and faster levelling up across England are needed to tackle the underlying inequalities which lead people to die from despair.

Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at alcohol treatment provider the UK Addiction Treatment Group, called the UK a "nation of binge drinkers", which led to "unhealthy drinking habits across almost all generations".

He added alcohol's legal status gives it less "stigma" than other drugs, meaning medical professionals may not take excess drinking as seriously.

"Until that misconception is addressed, more people will continue to die from alcohol," he added.

Nat Travis, national head of service at health and social care provider Turning Point, said the research "highlights the need for continued government investment into treatment services".

"What we often see, are more people coming to us at a later stage when they are far more unwell, which makes it harder to undo the damage that's already been done due to substance use," she said.

A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care said: "The Government is committed to narrowing the gap in healthy life expectancy by 2030 and to increasing healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035.

"Spending on mental health has increased by more than £4.5 billion in cash terms since 2018-19.

"We’ve published a 10-year plan for tackling drug and alcohol-related harms and are investing an extra £532 million between 2022-23 to 2024-25.

"Our ambitious plans for a smokefree generation will also save tens of thousands of lives."