AMBULANCE ALCOHOL FIGURES SHOW NEED FOR ALCOHOL AWARENESS

AMBULANCE ALCOHOL FIGURES SHOW NEED FOR ALCOHOL AWARENESS

68% of WEEKEND CALLS ARE ALCOHOL RELATED

Figures from the ambulance service show the impact alcohol has on Scotland’s emergency services.

The figures, reported on the BBC – on the first day of alcohol awareness week show that 68% of calls between Friday night and Sunday morning are alcohol related.

SNP MSP Anne McLaughlin who recently joined an ambulance crew in Glasgow on a Saturday night said the figures matched what she had seen.

Glasgow MSP Anne McLaughlin said:

“Spending the night working with Glasgow’s paramedics showed me how much of their time is spent dealing with the impact of alcohol.

“Whether it is people hurting themselves in drink related accidents, ending up so drunk they need hospitalisation or the end result of alcohol induced violence all the cases we saw on a Saturday night shift involved alcohol.

“I want our emergency services to be dealing with people who really need them, not having to spend all their time mopping up the damage caused by alcohol.

“The Scottish Government is proposing radical action to tackle Scotland’s problems with alcohol, but it is also for each and every one of us to think about what we’re drinking and the effect that has on ourselves and public services.

“Alcohol misuse costs Scottish society £2.25 billion a year. Recent reports estimating that 30% of ambulance journeys are alcohol related put the cost to the ambulance service at £30 million – today’s figures show it could be much more than that.

“At the start of alcohol awareness week I would urge everyone to look at their relationship with alcohol, how much they drink, and the impact it is having on their lives and on their communities.”