New Tory FOI figures reveal London’s Ambulance Service is spending £16m a year on responding to and treating drunks.
In addition, the Capital is spending at least £45m on binge drinkers needing emergency hospital admissions.
Admissions relating to alcohol in London’s hospitals have tripled in the last decade – from £56k in 2002 to £156k in 2011 – burdening the Capital’s doctors and nurses.
A new report, ‘On The Wagon’, is calling for Parliament to double drunk fines to £180 and target those who ‘repeatedly abuse public services’.
The report also calls for Sobering Centres and Booze Buses, manned by nurses, to operate on troubled high streets, across London, all year round.
Currently, London has recently closed its only Sobering Centre (which was located in Westminster) and has just one remaining Booze Bus – operating on a seasonal basis.
Image credit: Thinkstock
