Alcohol’s impact on emergency services: Script

Voiceover: Alcohol puts an enormous strain on our emergency services. It is implicated in a substantial proportion of arrests, Emergency Department attendances, ambulance callouts and fires.

Dealing with alcohol-related incidents makes our frontline service workers’ lives and jobs harder. A survey by the Institute of Alcohol Studies found that up to half of emergency services’ staff time is spent on alcohol-related incidents.

Emergency service staff are too often subjected to drunken abuse whilst working to protect the public. A high number of frontline workers have been injured whilst dealing with alcohol-related incidents.

“as officer numbers reduce there seems to be a propensity by drunken and drugged people to assault officer’s who are routinely single crewed now…I fear as officer’s get injured and are off work recuperating the thin blue line will break.” (Police Sergeant)

Voiceover: Furthermore, a significant proportion of frontline service workers have suffered sexual harassment or assault from drunken members of the public.

Our emergency services are calling for more support in dealing with alcohol. Calls to action include: more manpower, with pubs bars and supermarkets contributing to the costs of late night policing, earlier closing times, more training for frontline workers in dealing with alcohol problems, a lower drink-drive limit and raising the price of the cheapest alcohol.

“All night drinking and ubiquitous cheap available alcohol has changed the face of the UK for the worse.” (Police Sergeant)

“Licencing hours in cities are too late, serving alcohol until 6am causes non stop fights through the night in the city and then domestics in the early hours when they get home” (Police Constable)

“Like most ED doctors I have seen a huge amount of alcohol-related admissions… I believe we need an enormous national public health campaign, and stronger minimum alcohol pricing.” (ED Consultant)

Voiceover: Alcohol affects many people beyond the drinker. There is no one solution that will eradicate harm but evidence shows that action in these areas will make a real difference, reducing the burden on our frontline workers and creating safer communities for all.