Hospital figures show rise in binge drinkingBy Sophie Borland
15/10/2007
Binge drinking is pushing up the number of emergency admissions to hospital, new figures reveal.
Since the licensing laws were relaxed two years ago to allow 24-hour drinking, the number of patients with alcohol-related injuries or illness has risen in many accident and emergency departments.
NHS statistics show that the number of men admitted to hospital as a result of drink has risen by 27.3 per cent since the change in legislation — from 714 per 100,000 in 2001-2002 to 909 per 100,000 in 2005-06.
The number of female alcohol casualties has increased by 29 per cent over the same period — from 396 per 100,000 in 2001-02 to 510 per 100,000 in 2005-06.
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