999 HOGMANAY HANGOVER
Record callouts for emergency services as Scots celebrate 2018
THE Scottish Ambulance Service was swamped with thousands of calls over Hogmanay as drunken revellers helped fuel a 45 per cent increase in 999 incidents.
As tens of thousands enjoyed alcoholfuelled parties across the country, emergency crews saw demand for help soar in the seven hours following the bells.
It comes after the NHS 24 hotline declared this Christmas its busiest-ever festive season, with 45,000 calls received in four days.
Last night, as New Year celebrations subsided, there were calls for Scotland to follow the lead of health service chiefs in England by considering the use of so-called ‘drunk tanks’.
The city centre safe havens – common in Eastern Europe and already in use in Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff and Newcastle – allow inebriated revellers to sober up without swamping hospital A&E departments and wasting the time of ambulance crews.
NHS England last week announced it will decide this year whether to roll out the drunk tanks across the country.
Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘Given the latest statistics from the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), the possibility of introducing recovery centres in Scotland’s cities is something that ought to be explored.
‘It would hopefully ease the strain on police and the NHS and provide somewhere more suitable for people to sober up. There is evidence to suggest these units can be a success and I hope the Scottish Government finds the time to examine their potential, especially at busy times of year.’
SAS chiefs last night praised ambulance crews for their handling of the deluge of call-outs. Between 7pm on December 31 and 7am yesterday, the service’s control rooms were contacted 2,565 times, up 38 per cent from 1,853 last year.
Demand spiked during the first seven hours of 2018, when there were 1,879 calls, up 45 per cent from 1,296 at the start of 2017.
Analysts will now scrutinise the data and their findings could bolster the case for ‘drunk tanks’ in particular areas.
The SAS admitted the volume of calls had been ‘unusual’.
Chief executive Pauline Howie said: ‘The festive period has been a challenge for us due to a significant increase in demand and pressures on the system.
‘Yet again, our staff in our control centres, on the frontline, support staff and volunteers have risen to this challenge and showed what an incredible group of dedicated people they are.
‘Working in often challenging and relentless circumstances, they did a fantastic job.’
Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: ‘It is dis- appointing to see such a large increase in the number of ambulance calls over New Year.
‘These statistics underline the capacity issues our health service will continue to face if our NHS staff don’t receive the funding they need and deserve from the SNP Government.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘At this time of year in particular, our A&Es can be under additional pressure treating people suffering from the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption. We would urge those that are drinking to drink responsibly and to keep safe.
‘We have taken a number of actions to try to change Scotland’s sometimes harmful relationship with alcohol. In May, we’ll go further by implementing minimum unit pricing, aimed at tackling the cheap, high-strength alcohol that does so much damage to our communities.’
Celebrations continued across Scotland yesterday, with ‘loony dooks’ taking place in waters around the country.
The largest gathering of swimmers was at South Queensferry, where 1,100 people from 21 countries took part.
The sell-out event began with a parade before the brave participants plunged into the water in the shadow of the Forth bridges.
Around half of the swimmers wore fancy dress. Costumes included three people dressed as the Forth Bridge and another group in Wizard of Oz outfits.
One swimmer looked physically stunned as she entered the cold waters in a patterned pink swimsuit, and others failed to put on a
‘Festive period has been a challenge’