Young drinkers clog hospitals

The flood of alcohol-related hospital admissions during weekends is compromising the ability of hospital staff to tend to general admissions, doctors say.

The situation has prompted doctors to call for a rise in the age at which people can buy alcohol, The Press reported.

Wellington emergency department specialist Paul Quigley said large numbers of young people were coming in with alcohol-related injuries.

"This stuff is all preventable and it's very frustrating when you have people with heart pains or serious respiratory problems having to wait because staff are dealing with teenagers who have broken their wrist or been in a fight because they are drunk," he said.

One emergency department said patient numbers could double on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The bulk of admissions by people under 30 at weekends was directly related to alcohol, Dr Quigley said.

There was little remorse, and often those admitted appeared pleased with themselves.

He said the situation appeared to have worsened since the drinking age was lowered from 20 to 18, and wanted a split purchase age introduced, where people had to be 20 to buy alcohol from an off-licence but could drink on licensed premises from 18.

Christchurch emergency department specialist Scott Pearson agreed, and said such moves could help reduce the "carnage".

He said it was common to have young people admitted after having been found unconscious by a friend.

"Their greatest risk is if they vomit and don't expel it, and they suffocate. We get someone like that probably every weekend," he said.

- NZPA