17/08/2006
Increase in drunken NI patients
The number of patients over the drink drive limit in Northern Ireland hospitals has risen by 113% over the last five years, a report has today revealed.
The number of patients with blood alcohol above 80mg/100ml, which is the legal limit for drivers, rose 113% across the study period, from 526 people to 1124.
It also revealed that the number with alcohol levels above 480mg/100ml rose from five to 29, an increase of 480%, with the highest blood alcohol level recorded being 750mg per 100ml of blood.
The number of tests on those aged under the age of 26 were recorded as being up 169%, an increase from 97 to 261.
The amount of drunk men outnumbered the number of drunk women, although the number of intoxicated women treated in Belfast almost doubled throughout the study period, from 203 to 401. Among the under-16s there were more drunk girls than boys.
The authors of the report, who are based at Belfast City hospital, concluded by saying that the paper supports the impression that there are more intoxicated people attending emergency departments than there were five years ago.
They said: "We feel that alternative reasons for such increases in our department, such as more blood samples being sent off by nursing staff, would not account for such dramatic changes."
Dr Peter Allely from the City Hospital`s emergency department, said: "One of the things we are calling for, I guess, is for all UK hospitals to start recording data like this, so we can keep an eye on the problem to see if it is getting worse and try and spur the Government into action."
(EF)
The number of patients with blood alcohol above 80mg/100ml, which is the legal limit for drivers, rose 113% across the study period, from 526 people to 1124.
It also revealed that the number with alcohol levels above 480mg/100ml rose from five to 29, an increase of 480%, with the highest blood alcohol level recorded being 750mg per 100ml of blood.
The number of tests on those aged under the age of 26 were recorded as being up 169%, an increase from 97 to 261.
The amount of drunk men outnumbered the number of drunk women, although the number of intoxicated women treated in Belfast almost doubled throughout the study period, from 203 to 401. Among the under-16s there were more drunk girls than boys.
The authors of the report, who are based at Belfast City hospital, concluded by saying that the paper supports the impression that there are more intoxicated people attending emergency departments than there were five years ago.
They said: "We feel that alternative reasons for such increases in our department, such as more blood samples being sent off by nursing staff, would not account for such dramatic changes."
Dr Peter Allely from the City Hospital`s emergency department, said: "One of the things we are calling for, I guess, is for all UK hospitals to start recording data like this, so we can keep an eye on the problem to see if it is getting worse and try and spur the Government into action."
(EF)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
