Over £10 million cost to NHS in the Highlands through alcohol misuse
18 March 2010
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant says the misuse of alcohol is imposing a substantial burden on the resources of the health service in the Highlands.
In an effort to raise awareness of the extent of the drain on the NHS locally, Mrs. Grant released figures from government sources that estimate the cost last year of alcohol harm to four services in NHS Highland.
In total it is estimated that the cost of emergency ambulance call outs, Accident and Emergency attendances, outpatient appointments, and hospital beds occupied by those with alcohol related conditions came to £10.18million.
Mrs. Grant said: "These bleak figures illustrate the immense strain that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is putting on the NHS by consuming vital hospital and ambulance services.
"Just as attitudes and habits towards smoking have changed so must they change towards alcohol.
"Moderate drinking is both pleasant and socially acceptable. Heavy drinking is neither, and its inevitable consequence is serious damage to health.
"As Parliament considers how to regulate the drinks industry, Scottish Labour has already established its Alcohol Commission that is looking at a range of reasonable and efficient alternatives that would tackle alcohol over-consumption in Scotland and which could include alternative pricing mechanisms."
Details
Emergency Ambulance call -outs
There were 17,813 emergency ambulance call outs in NHS Highland last year.
Government research indicates that 25 per cent of all such ambulance call outs are alcohol-related.
The average cost of an emergency ambulance call out is £298.
The cost of alcohol misuse to ambulance resources in NHS Highland = 25 per cent of 17, 813 x 298 = £1.33 million.
A&E attendances
There were 36, 251 attendances at A&E departments within large hospitals in NHS Highland last year.
Government research indicates that 25 per cent of all such attendances are alcohol-related.
The average cost of an A&E attendance is £100.
The cost of alcohol misuse to A&E resources in NHS Highland is 25 percent of 36,251 x £100, making an estimated £900,000.
Outpatient attendances
The number of outpatient attendances in NHS Highland last year was 71,694.
Government research indicates that 10 per cent of all such attendances are alcohol-related.
The average cost of an outpatient attendance is £112
The cost of alcohol misuse to outpatient resources in NHS Highland last year = 10 per cent of 71,694 x £112, making an estimated £800,000.
Beds occupied by those with an alcohol-related condition
The number of days last year that beds in NHS Highland acute hospitals were occupied by those with an alcohol-related condition where alcohol was either a primary or secondary factor was 12,568.
The average cost of occupying a bed in an acute hospital is £569 a day.
The cost of alcohol misuse from the hospitalisation of those with alcohol -related conditions (either a primary and secondary diagnosis) to hospital bed resources in NHS Highland last year is estimated at £7.15 million.
These estimates deal only with these four services and do not take account of the cost of alcohol excess to psychiatric bed use, drugs, or laboratory testing.
Neither do they taking into account the number of GP consultations for alcohol abuse.
The latest annual Scotland-wide figure is 102,000.
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