The ACID ATTACKS putting people in HOSPITAL
Shocking figures show ever-rising admissions
THE NUMBER of people admitted to hospital after being attacked with corrosive substances has nearly tripled since the turn of the century, new analysis has revealed.
NHS patient data shows total of 111 people were admitted in 2016/17 across England and Wales at a rate of more than two a week.
That is almost three times more than the 38 admitted in 2000/01.
Corrosive substances such as acids, alkalis and chemicals - are increasingly being used as weapons. Contact with skin can cause cause blistering, burns, and permanent scarring. Buying corrosive substances is currently legal, though the government has faced calls for stricter regulation in the wake of highly-publicised attacks. Records for hospital admissions for attacks with corrosive substances are available for England and Wales as far back as 1999/2000, when there were 43. The figure was actually highest in 2010/11, when 112 people were hospitalised. The data does not include patients who attended hospital after an attack but were not admitted to a ward. Separate figures show there were 127 “finished consultant episodes” in 2016/17 for acid attacks.
A “finished consultant episode” means a patient has seen a consultant, even if they were not admitted to a ward and simply treated as an outpatient.
Of those 127, one victim was under 14 while 73 were aged between 15-59 and 28 were aged between 60-74.
Some 25 victims were at least 75 years old.
Just last year the NHS published guidance on how to deal with acid attacks.
Their report said: “The majority of victims of acid attacks suffer only minor burns.
“These can usually be treated by ambulance and local hospital A&E staff, and will heal well with good burn care, including regular dressing changes and checks to prevent infection.”
The report added that patients who suffer severe burns should be transferred to a specialist centre.
Jaf Shah is chief executive director of the Acid Survivors’ Trust International.
He said: “There are a number of factors that explain the rise of acid attacks, including easy access to acids and other dangerous fluids from shops and online, and very limited control on the sale of acids.
“It is increasingly well understood that exposure to poverty, violence, delinquent behaviour, gender inequality, crime and inequality increase risk factors for violence.
“The government needs to deploy an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach that addresses the underlying causes as well as the consequences of an attack. As well as legislative change, early intervention focused on education around the risks and consequences of violent actions is key to bringing about changes in behaviour.” A Home Office spokesperson said: “Acid attacks are barbaric crimes that devastate lives and can leave victims with life changing injuries and emotional scars. “We have an action plan in place to tackle the use of corrosive substances in violent attacks, and our new Offensive Weapons Bill will make it a crime to carry corrosive substances in public without good reason and ban their sale to under 18s.”