Binge drinking
March 2005
The impact of binge drinking on health services
Alcohol consumption is responsible for a wide range of health care costs including, for example, treatment of alcohol dependence. Binge drinking is specifically related to accidents and violence, both of which impact on the health service. The Strategy Unit has estimated that, at peak times, up to 70 per cent of all admissions to accident and emergency units are related to alcohol consumption. The total cost of alcohol misuse to the health service is estimated to be in the region of £1.7 billion a year [go to reference 2]
For further information please refer to Institute of Alcohol Studies (4 March 2005) Alcohol and Health: Medical problems related to alcohol; the impact of alcohol on the National Health Service; admissions to hospitals for alcohol related diagnosis and a brief note on estimated numbers of deaths attributed to alcoholism. Go to - http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/health.pdf