Festive season busiest in four years

Derek Sage says 90 per cent of patient injuries or ailments were alcohol-related. Photo / File

Tauranga Hospital staff spent much of the Christmas and New Year babysitting "friendly" drunks when not attending to serious car crash victims in what was their busiest festive season in at least four years.

Between December 25 and January 11, 2706 people sought medical help from the hospital's emergency department. This included 470 visitors to the Bay.

Over the same period last year, the hospital treated 2490 people.

Emergency department clinical director Derek Sage said 90 per cent of patient injuries or ailments this New Year's Eve were alcohol-related - an issue that regularly reared its head.

"From midnight to 3am virtually everyone that came in the door was intoxicated. We babysat them while they sobered up and then sent them home after breakfast."

However, patients had been friendly and co-operative with staff.

This was in contrast to recent years where verbal abuse and aggressive gestures had been a theme, Dr Sage said.

"We thank the public for their co-operation which not only makes for a better working environment but allows patients to be treated more efficiently."

However, the significant number of people involved in serious road traffic accidents stood out, he said.

Last year, the Western Bay of Plenty recorded its worst number of road fatalities in more than a decade with 16 deaths, including nine head-on crashes and three intersection fatalities.

"That's tragic at any time of the year of course but always seems particularly sad at Christmas and New Year," Dr Sage said.

On New Year's Day and the day after, 190 and 189 people sought help at the emergency department - the highest daily numbers of patients so far this summer.

Emergency department business leader Neil McKelvie said they increased staffing to cater for the expected high demand of Christmas, New Year's Day and the day after.

"But we also looked at extra medical staff in the hospital because it's not just ED which is busy of course."

Mr McKelvie said injuries and ailments related to excessive alcohol consumption had again been common but "we have also noticed an increased prevalence of dehydration in the older population this Christmas and New Year".