New figures show alcohol admissions are spiralling out of control under this government

09 Dec 2011
Urging the government to ‘get a grip’ on binge-drinking, Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Public Health Minister, warned of the cost to the NHS of the government’s inaction:

‘The alarm bells should be ringing with the publication of these figures. This government is rapidly pushing us towards a binge-drinking crisis. The figures show huge annual increases.

‘It is clear that for Andrew Lansley, the be all and end all is whether his friends in big business are happy, and, unfortunately, it is costing our NHS and British families an absolute fortune. A recent report predicted that binge-drinking will cost the NHS £3.8billion by 2015, with 1.5million A&E admissions a year.’

‘All British families want for Christmas is some kind of indication that the government will at least try to get a grip on the tide of harm caused by binge-drinking seen in our high-streets and hospitals. There’s an estimated 7,074 admissions of people under the age of 18 years that have been treated for alcohol-induced illness by national health service hospitals since January 2011, so we need to turn things around for the sake of British children and their futures.

‘Health experts, schools and even David Cameron’s own team are raising the alarm bells about the direction this government has taken the country on public health, because David Cameron and Andrew Lansley have got drinks companies writing government policy for them. It is creating a ticking time bomb.’

--ENDS-- 

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