Major hospital reports ‘exceptional’ number of drink-related admissions

The emergency department at St James’s hospital in Dublin has reported “an exceptional” number of alcohol-related attendances following last night’s Arthur’s day festivities.

A spokesman said overall the emergency department was slightly busier than usual with 176 attendances “but within that figure the ED had an exceptional amount of alcohol-related presentations”.
Ambulance services in Dublin reported a 50 per cent increase in emergency calls over an average Thursday after Arthur’s Day celebrations last night.

Gardaí reported no serious incidents last night, compared with one fatal stabbing and two other serious assaults in Dublin last weekend following the all-Ireland football final.

Greg O’Dwyer of the East Regional Communications Centre, which co-ordinates the ambulance service in Dublin, reported a 50 per cent increase in emergency calls but said there was no breakdown of what kind of calls they were and they were not at all alarmed about it.

“Last night would equate to slightly busier than an average Saturday night in the city but certainly a lot less than an all Ireland final night or New Year’s Eve,” he said on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland show.

“The average calls for a Thursday night are normally around 80 to 100 and last night was 158 but we have no way of telling what kind of calls they are until the ambulance report forms come back. But it wasn’t busier than an average Saturday night or only slightly busier and certainly not as busy as the other celebratory nights such as All-Ireland final day or New Year’s eve or Halloween.”

St Vincent’s University Hospital said emergency department presentations were “within the normal range” and there were no alcohol-related incidents.

“St Vincent’s University Hospital would normally see 100 to 150 new ED attendances per day, with 20 to 40 between midnight and 8am.”

Emergency department consultant at Cork University hospital Gerry McCarthy said 14 attendances related to Arthur’s Day were recorded out of about 180, which he did not regard as excessive. One person was admitted.

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Source: Irish Times, 27/09/13