New research about the impact of alcohol-affected patients on hospital emergency departments shows the problem of violent drunk people is no better than it was last year.
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The follow-up study of New Zealand and Australia hospitals by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine showed one in 12 people -or 8.3 percent of patients - were admitted to hospital because of alcohol.
The New Zealand faculty chair for the College, Doctor John Bonning, said it was a bad situation, especially as there had been no improvement since the last survey.
"Whilst everybody deserves and gets care, one would think that an elderly person or a young child with an injury, not 'self-inflicted', would be more deserving of care than somebody who has got absolutely trolleyed and got into a fight."
Doctor Bonning said reducing liquor licensing hours was one of the best ways to change anti-social behaviour.
