ALAC wants Emergency departments to keep figures on people turning up with an alcohol-related injury

The Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) supports hospital emergency departments keeping figures on alcohol-related presentations.

ALAC Chief Executive Officer Gerard Vaughan welcomed comments yesterday by Dunedin Hospital emergency department consultant John Chambers who linked the extension of opening hours for licensed outlets and increased alcohol-related presentations in health settings.

``We know anecdotally that alcohol-related admissions figure highly in the work of emergency departments,’’ Mr Vaughan said. ``However, only a small number of departments ask whether alcohol has been a factor or are keeping figures on numbers.

``If we can get accurate figures to demonstrate the size of the problem, we can then see how different interventions both environmentally and within the hospital systems can help reduce the problem.’’

Dr Chambers was quoted saying he felt extended hours for bars were problematic and that closing the bars by 2am would lower the number of people injured in random fights. The department did not keep statistics on the number of alcohol-related cases, he said.

``Because many emergency departments do not keep figures on alcohol-related presentations we cannot quantify how effective an intervention such as reducing opening hours would be in reducing alcohol-related presentations and overall alcohol-related harm,’’ Mr Vaughan said.

``Such figures could also be made available to general practitioners so that GPs could be advised when one of their patients was seen with an alcohol-related injury or accident. There would then be the opportunity for the GP to administer a brief intervention by questioning their patient about their alcohol consumption.

``Brief interventions such as a doctor bringing up the issue of alcohol in the course of a normal consultation are known to be highly effective in reducing problematic alcohol use for individuals.’’

Mr Vaughan said ALAC encouraged the collecting of such data and the sharing of such data with general practitioners as it was important to have good information to track whether interventions were making a difference at the coal face and show value for money.

``In the absence of New Zealand data we have looked overseas where research has shown that large numbers of individuals at risk of developing serious alcohol or other drug problems may be identified through primary care screening. Such interventions have been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of drug and alcohol use, reduce the risk of trauma and increase the percentage of patients who enter specialised substance abuse treatment.

``In addition to decreases in substance abuse, screening and brief interventions have also been associated with fewer hospital days and fewer emergency department visits. Cost-benefit analyses and cost-effectiveness analyses have demonstrated net-cost savings from these interventions.’’