Call to record A&E patients' alcohol use

Hospital emergency departments need to record alcohol-related admissions to stem the flow of injuries or accidents caused by booze, the Alcohol Advisory Council (Alac) says.

"We know anecdotally that alcohol-related admissions figure highly in the work of emergency departments," Alac chief executive Gerard Vaughan said.

"However, only a small number of departments ask whether alcohol has been a factor or are keeping figures.

"If we can get accurate figures to demonstrate the size of the problem, we can then see how different interventions both environmentally and within the hospital systems can help reduce the problem."

If figures were kept by the departments it would be feasible to work out if intervention strategies, such as reducing the opening hours of liquor outlets, affected alcohol-related hospital admissions, Mr Vaughan said. percentage

Emergency medicine specialist Professor Mike Ardagh said hospitals would like to be able to keep such records.

However, he said accessing accurate data would be problematic.

Not all emergency departments had access to technology that could record the alcohol figures, Professor Ardagh said.

"The final problem is how do we diagnose intoxication? That may seem silly but is it a self-reported thing ... is it a staff assessment thing ... or do we do blood levels or breath levels, which we don't do on a regular basis unless it's relevant to their care?"NZPA

- NZPA