@elizabeths-mum* wrote:The results waste hospital resources. Go to ED on a Friday/Saturday night and it will be full of drunks and people injured by drunks. Because of this, Security which used to located near mental health wards in many hospitals are needed more at ED now so unless the wards are close, MH staff are now at higher risk with minimal or delayed back up.
Here's what doctors have to say about our "dumb drinking culture" :
DOCTORS fed up with booze-fuelled violence are pleading for Australia's "incredibly dumb drinking culture" to be stamped out, saying "enough is enough".
They advocate an increased tax on alcohol, raising the minimum drinking age, forcing venues to close earlier, watering down alcopops and shaming drunk dads.
Their appeal follows a News Limited investigation which revealed the shocking community cost of Friday and Saturday night mayhem - and that hospital emergency departments can no longer cope.
Analysis of 175 'king hits' reported over the past seven years reveals 82 per cent occurred on weekends, most between midnight and 4am. About 70 per cent happened in or near pubs or clubs.
Australia's longest-serving emergency department director, Professor Gordian Fulde of Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, said drunken violence was a national issue that required an urgent shift in attitudes.
"We have developed this incredibly dumb drinking culture in Australia," Professor Fulde said.
"What we're talking about is alcohol and unnecessary sadness and violence. And it's a national issue. It's totally and utterly unnecessary and it should be totally preventable."
Leading Australian maxillofacial surgeon Dr Anthony Lynham, who spends his days repairing the smashed skulls of young men at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, also said the human toll from alcohol-related violence was preventable.
It is estimated nearly 3500 Australians a year are brain damaged by assaults.
Dr Lynham who, each year, tries to repair the damaged faces of about 400 people, said licensed venues should have to be further apart and closed by 1am. Drinks should be taxed by alcoholic content, he said.
My 23-yo grandson was in Sydney last week, visiting from Mackay,with his girlfriend. Neither of them drink He's a reformed alcoholic (at age 23!) I warned them against coming into the city on Friday and Saturday, it's a drunken orgy, how embarrassing!.
Here's the link if you want to read the whole article.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/doctors-slam-dumb-drinking-culture-and-call-for-it-to-stop...
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