Triage centre to treat Kingston binge drinkers (From Your Local Guardian)

Triage centre to treat Kingston binge drinkers

5:41am Wednesday 12th March 2008 in

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Plans for a triage service to treat binge drinkers on nights out in Kingston town centre have been branded a "sad indictment on society".

Town centre management group Kingstonfirst will offer the medical treatment for drinkers who hurt themselves while partying.

The scheme, which would run on Friday and Saturday nights, is designed to alleviate pressure on the ambulance service and Kingston Hospital's accident and emergency department (A&E), which is failing to meet targets to see patients within four hours.

Geoff Martin, of campaign group London Health Emergency, said: "It's not a new thing but I suppose it's a sad reflection of the state of society that we have to set up a field hospital for people who have had a skin full.

“It’s not a new thing but I suppose it’s a sad reflection of the state of society that we have to set up a field hospital for people who have had a skin full."

Geoff Martin

"It won't stop all people being admitted to A&E as it won't provide a lot of the back-up services."

He also questioned why taxpayers were helping to fund the venture, a partnership between Kingstonfirst and the Safer Kingston Partnership, with a grant from Kingston town neighbourhood.

He said alcohol companies should cough up after lining their pockets with profits from selling so much booze.

The "safe place" will be manned by qualified A&E nurses, but Unison, the public services union, questioned if the nurses could be better used.

A spokesman for Unison said: "Where are they getting the A&E nurses from? There aren't that many out there."

The safe place, supported by St John Ambulance with the help of street pastors, will run for a pilot period of five weeks, starting on Friday.

Paul Riordan of Kingstonfirst denied the scheme was solely for binge drinkers. He said: "It's not just people drinking too much, they could be from anywhere who might have fallen. We're just trying to get a handle on it."

But in his initial statement he said: "Kingston has a thriving nightlife and, though responsible drinking is encouraged, some individuals will overindulge. It's important these people do not create a burden on public services."

He later said: "All the nurses are fully qualified agency nurses. The cost is not against A&E but about ambulances."