The number of drunk women and men admitted to hospital for alcohol poisoning has doubled in east Kent in the past year.

In 2006-07, 90 women were admitted because they had drunk too much, compared with 175 women between 2007-08.

Although considerably lower in number, the number of male admittances in the same period increased from 73 to 134.

A spokesman for NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent said that the numbers of people hospitalised had fluctuated over the past five years but were now lower than they had been in 2004-05 and still below the national average.

The trust pointed out that in 2007-08, 38.1 men and 46.7 women per 100,000 people in east Kent went to hospital, compared to 45.2 men and 55.1 women nationally.

The spokesman said: “When looking at the rate per 100,000 population, east Kent’s latest figures for 2007-08 are considerably below the average for England – nearly 15 per cent difference.

“This is a far more accurate measure for gauging the extent of intoxication, bearing in mind the growing population and a trend for more alcohol consumption.”

The number of women aged under 18 admitted for drunkeness improved though, with 12 admittances in 2006-07 decreasing to nine.

Figures for the number of males under 18 admitted were omitted as the number was low enough to make the cases identifiable.