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1,000 binge-drinkers hospitalised every day

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The NHS is being put under pressure by treating over a thousand cases of serious alcohol-related illnesses every day of the year, it was revealed last night.

The number of patients seen by consultants for alcohol-related illnesses - drink-induced injuries, mental or behavioural disorders and liver disease - and admissions to A&E for problem drinking have both doubled in the last seven years.

Among the under-18's, there was a rise of 40% in those treated in casualty or the consulting room in the last seven years.

A dramatic rise in drink-related casualties was seen in 2005 - the year that 24-hour drinking came in to force - suggesting that relaxation of licensing laws is to blame and that the Government is failing to combat binge drinking.

The figures - uncovered by Tory health spokesman Andrew Lansley in parliamentary questions to Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo - will be published today.

'These figures reveal the human cost of the Government's failure to make public health a priority,' he told the Daily Mail.

'These cases are largely preventable and put enormous pressure on an already over-stretched NHS.

'It is particularly scandalous that so many teenagers are ending up in hospital.

'Labour's plundering of public health budgets to meet deficits has meant we haven't had the leadership and cultural change we need on public health.'

However, a review by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Home Office, due next month, is expected to say the relaxation of opening hours has not increased problem drinking.

Instead of a radical overhaul of 24-hour drinking, the Government is said to be preparing to target under-age drinkers, including encouraging tougher parental action, cutting cheap supermarket offers and curbing drinking on the street.

Friday 11 January 2008

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Believe we must put the cheep price of drink in supermarkets and every place you go , responsible for a great deal of the drink problem of the 21 century ,as i gather from many young adults that they go to a shop-supermarket that sells alcohol cheep drink it before they hit the clubs parties ect so that its not such a expensive night out ,in my youth getting drink was harder and i have to say now looking back , i had a drink problem then now i would be dead , and my hart goes out to the young of today as they no more than we did have any idea of the long term damage being done to our body and in some cases our minds,drink needs to be a lot harder to buy , but the government would be short on tax then?
Comment by meinir ann titmana on January 12 07:18

I am an english woman of 43 who lives in Italy and always reads your magazine, I must say that England has become a disgraceful place to live, people in Italy are always going on about problems over here, but I doubt it's as bad as living in England, I'm sorry to say this but I don't think I'd ever go back, with all the joyriders, drunks etc.no thanks!
Comment by marina on January 13 21:32

The lack of comprehensive policies within the last period of time, emanating from the barmy politicians who have one rule for themselves and another for the electorate means that we are not going to have any say in how we live our lives.
When I worked in casualty 20 years ago, the problems were of a similar nature: every Friday/Saturday was taken up by providing services for drunks who have been involved in fights, domestic violence, RTA etc from 8pm to 3/4am.
Smokers have been discriminated against: they are no longer allowed to smoke without being made to feel like pariahs. The tobacco manufacturers and treasury are still allowed to pocket the billions smokers contribute to the economy.
Alcohol has been problematic, but this stupid government has not got a clue about how to address our problems: they have no idea of how each of their new policies will affect us, nor are they willing to admit that excessive intake of alcohol has been problematic since it has been widely available.
It is my belief that the more this government infantilises us, the less responsiblity we will take on, and the less care we take of ourselves: after all, a society that has universal health care provided free at the point of need,from the cradle to the grave, with taxpayers footing the bill, will not be able to get the junkies off their next fix.
The problem of alcoholism is highlighted by the one and only Charles Kennedy: most of our politicians are exposed to a drinking culture, so where is the need to people to take responsibility for themselves?
Comment by pipa on January 14 16:26