Hawke's Bay Hospital is blaming alcohol for a record number of emergency department admissions during the New Year holidays.
The hospital says it treated 157 patients on New Year's Day, which is about 10% more than last year.
An emergency consultant at the hospital, Dr Scott Boyes, says patients with alcohol related injuries are more difficult to assess and treat, which means it takes longer to treat regular patients.
Dr Boyes says people need to adopt a more responsible attitude towards alcohol.
