HOSPITAL bosses are urging residents and holidaymakers to drink responsibly after a study found that the number of A & E visits trebled following the introduction of 24-hour drinking.

Researchers at St Thomas' Hospital in London discovered that alcohol-related visits to A & E during the night rose sharply after the laws were introduced in November 2005.

The authors of the study, published in the Emergency Medical Journal, warned that their findings were likely to be mirrored at hospitals across the country.

They said: "If reproduced over longer time periods and across the UK as a whole, the additional burden on emergency care could be substantial."

At Poole Hospital, the total number of A & E admissions so far this year has risen by 1.5 per cent, compared with the same period in 2006.

A spokesperson said: "We don't keep records of alcohol-related admissions and we do not consider this to be a significant increase.

"But we hope that residents and holidaymakers will continue to drink sensibly over the summer."

Figures from the Royal Bournemouth Hospital show that there were 26 alcohol-related admissions to A & E during June 2006 and 20 in June 2007.

Senior nurse emergency care Cathy Lakin said: "Alcohol related injuries or illnesses still represent a significant percentage of the emergency department workload, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings.

"The number of patients attending with a purely alcohol related problem has remained steady, however overall attendance continues to rise.

"There are many indirect causes such as domestic violence, physical injury, medical and psychological illness.

"People are also more vulnerable or may behave differently when under the influence of alcohol and are therefore more susceptible to injury and illnesses.

"We are currently looking into preventative and screening measures as evidence shows that an emergency attendance may be the ideal opportunity for a timely and effective intervention."

  • Official figures show that alcohol-related deaths in the UK have doubled during the past 15 years.