Commenting today (7 July 2015) on a report on alcohol-related admissions in the region, Rebecca Watkins, Emergency Department Matron at Weston Area Health NHS Trust, said:
We’ve not seen a notable increase in alcohol-related admissions. However, we know there’s an existing high level of alcohol misuse in the region.
At Weston we don’t distinguish between patients – we’re here to help everyone. We see patients with long-term addiction to alcohol and alcohol-related injuries needing to be admitted to the hospital, especially at weekends. This can put extra pressure on services.
Our staff give advice about the consequences of long-term alcohol abuse and put people in touch with specialist alcohol misuse services.
Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to a range of physical and mental problems. While there's no guaranteed safe level of drinking, if you drink less than the recommended daily limits, the risks of harming your health are lower. Our advice would be to drink in moderation and stay safe so you avoid ending up in A&E.