hpdw

On the news over the past few days in UK they are reporting about a system whereby instead of drunks being taken to A&E they would be held in so called drunk tanks , looked after , kept safe until they are fit to leave . I think they are piloting this in a couple of cities .

Fact : in UK 40 percent of resources in the NHS is alcohol related .

biminiblue

That's what they do in the US, and I think maybe in Canada, too. Maybe someone knows.

Nothing in the room, not a blanket, bed, nothing. Some of them have cameras, but not all.

Sleep it off.

EliL

It’s a great idea for the UK; will be interesting to see how effective it is!

ulfr

yes good idea i think there should be police or security there just in case there are fights etc it would free up A and E andits would be better for people who need true emergency treatment and not people who are just drunk

entropy1964

I read another article that said that visits to the ER due to alcohol are up something like 50% since 2005 in the US. 1 in 8 have alcohol use disorder. But hey, look over here at this opiate epidemic (created in part by big pharma)....I'm not minimizing the heroin issue (which big pharma loves cause then they can charge INSANE prices for Narcan) but alcohol is by far the real problem. Oh well, big biz, big tax revenue generator. Drink up.

Canuckleman45

Yes. Canada has the drunk tank. Not a nice place to sober up. Gives u something to think about the next time you want to get all drunken up and be a jerk.

DontRemember

Last time I was in jail,coming up on my 2yr anniversary(glad that's pretty much behind me!), they started to put me in there,but I got taken to the medical unit. I'd have prefered to be alone in a cell instead of 60-80+ guys in a 'dorm',but I was jacked up from my car wreck. Bunch of gangsters,and people awaiting sentence for murder,rape,ect.. and I'm what people consider a "tough guy"..VERY sobering moment,but it took me another year to actually embrace sobriety.

hpdw

I am not without my abuse of the NHS through drinking . once after a bender I thought I was having a heart attack and was taken to A&E and given all the heart tests and released with reassurance it was an anxiety attack . I felt so guilty and embarrassed so i'm not pointing the finger at anyone when I think of that episode wasting those peoples time due to my greed . Did I learn a lesson ? yes and no ! yes I cut back on the benders ,no I still didn't quit completely .

Forward12

Moral of the story, stay sober, to keep your ass out of jail.

Verdantia

Sometimes people who have been drinking need to be in the ER. It shouldn't necessarily be shameful to require help there. I have had to go there before, and luckily was treated with compassion and care and without shaming.