Using the loosest of definitions since we do not use an alcometer in case it detracts from belief in the head injury, gut feel not science I know, but our alcohol related attenders seem to be coming later in the night / early morning with a later peak of "I woke and found I had done something daft" in the late morning. Our overall attenders are creeping up but my IT cannot put a diagnostic catagory on the increase other than "non Traumatic medical" which i think means unsorted primary care cases.
Our alcohol in the presence of unwellness / injury seems to be about 10% overall at present when we get round to counting for a day or two.
I am afraid I do not have the time or the inclination to screen the cards at present due to the trust pulling as much support as it can to fulfill it's obligation to balance the books, we are currently £6M adrift in a budget of £85M.
The suits have been in.
>Does anyone have an accuratish estimate of the percentage of
>presentations relating to Alcohol in their departments. the
>conventional number quoted is 30% or so rising to 70 % Saturday
>night. However, we have just carried out a questionnaire which
>seemed to come up with around
> 8 % of total presentations. This included alcohol related not
>just intoxicated, but withdrawals, drunken brawl innocent
>bystanders etc.
>Our PCT was considering funding an alcohol worker or even two for the
>department and hospital, which would be very welcome, but I fear
>that they will use these lower alcohol figures to put the money
>elsewhere ( new cappucino machines etc ).
>I can't believe that Brighton lags far behind most places on the
>party front.
>
>If you have an estimate, how did you estimate it ? Computer
>records, direct questioning, alcometers ?
>
>NB what effect do the new licensing laws have on alcohol
>presentation times ? Anecdotal evidence here in Brighton points,
>unsurprisingly, towards later presentations but no marked increase.
>
>
>
>Paul Ransom
>Emergency Medicine Consultant ( and recently elevated to Alcohol
>Lead for the hospital, somehow )
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>National Patient Safety Agency - supporting Doctors.net.uk members in safe practice.
>http://www.doctors.net.uk/NPSA
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>
>
>
>
________________________________________________________________________
National Patient Safety Agency - supporting Doctors.net.uk members in safe practice.
http://www.doctors.net.uk/NPSA
_______________________________________________________________________
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