Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to help alleviate the work pressures placed on A&E departments as a consequence of the number of admissions which relate to excessive drinking.

Alcohol-related attendances in accident and emergency (A&E) are a matter of concern. We are taking action, for example, by encouraging better sharing of anonymised data on these attendances between National Health Service bodies and the police. This can provide intelligence for licensing decisions, enabling targeting of premises who are contributing to irresponsible sales and drunkenness.

The NHS constitution makes clear that abusive or violent behaviour would be reasonable grounds to refuse access to NHS services. That would include a small minority of people who are drunk and abusive to staff.

In addition, accredited hospital staff have powers to issue fines to individuals whose drunkenness could cause harassment, alarm or distress (Penalty Notices for Disorder - £80 fines).