5,500 surgery visits in 1 day - the scale of Scots alcohol abuse

Published on Monday 2 May 2011 17:36

Alcohol was a factor in more than 5,500 GP consultations in Scotland on one day alone last month, doctors have revealed.

The British Medical Association warned that would equate to about 1.4 million consultations year and costs the NHS about 28 million.

Alcohol accounts for about one in 20 GP consultations across Scotland and takes up more than 640 hours of doctors' time a year, it added.

The BMA is now warning that a "significant proportion" of adults are risking health problems, with five dying every day because of alcohol abuse.

And it is calling on political candidates to outline how they would tackle abuse if elected to the next Scottish Parliament.

Dr Alan McDevitt, deputy chairman of the BMA's Scottish General Practitioners Committee, said: "By regularly drinking over and above recommended limits, a significant proportion of the adult population is at risk of experiencing health problems that are linked to the alcohol they consume, whether it is high blood pressure, breast cancer or even domestic abuse."

The BMA study found that alcohol was a factor in 6 per cent of all GP consultations.

The ailments which had alcohol as a factor included skin conditions and bruising, diarrhoea, liver problems and cirrhosis, impaired work performance and accidents, anxiety and depressive illnesses and even gout.

The study was based on a survey of 31 practices from across Scotland on 21 April.

Alcohol Focus Scotland called on Holyrood candidates to revive plans for a minimum unit price for alcohol.

Evelyn Gillan, chief executive, said: "The cheaper it is, the more we consume."

However, Tory health spokesman Murdo Fraser added; "Blanket minimum pricing, which has no evidence base, would penalise responsible drinkers."

Dr Bruce Ritson, chairman of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap), said: "We are drinking at levels that compromise our health and well-being and, as a society, we need to drink less."

Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown said the focus should be on "early intervention".

Dr Richard Simpson, Scottish Labour candidate for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, said: "There should be zero tolerance of rogue retailers who sell alcohol to children. We will also take action to reduce caffeine content, because there is growing evidence that the combination of caffeine and alcohol is dangerous."