Drinks blamed for massive rise in 999 calls

The emergency services have recorded almost a 100% rise in 999 calls in the past decade, with ambulance-service representatives blaming binge drinking. But the industry has strenuously denied the charge. As JD Wetherspoons spokesman Andrew Burnyeat points out: "We’re working very hard with the police and other agencies to tackle the binge-drinking issue, and it would be naive to assume that a rise in emergency calls is due solely to drinking."

On Monday, the Ambulance Services Union published a report indicating that more than six million emergency calls were made in the year to April, up from just 3.2m in 1996. Jonathon Fox, press officer for the Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel and a serving paramedic, explains: "Drink is a major issue for the emergency services; there’s definitely a connection with disorder. Binge drinking is having an impact."

Burnyeat will be delighted to hear that, when the drinks business called Fox, he was waiting for a friend in a JD Wetherspoons – though the APAP press officer was keen to point out that he was off duty at the time.

Other commentators have pointed the finger at 24-hour licensing, apparently blind to the very recent – and far-from-universal – adoption of the new regulations.

The tabloid headlines have been quick to beat their sensationalist drum, but Burnyeat is at pains to point out that the rise in emergency calls is by no means the sole responsibility of the drinks trade. "We’re working hard to combat the problem of binge drinking. The industry has more or less abolished price promotions and happy hours in recent years, and staff have received better training to deal with problem customers. At Wetherspoons we sell more soft drinks and coffee and have undertaken various measures to tackle underage drinking."

He points to the advent of mobile telephones and a (thankfully) much more accessible ambulance service as much more important factors in the rise of emergency calls. "Of course, there are still problems, but we’re working with the police to find a solution." APAP’s Fox also stresses the need for closer cooperation, stressing that the ambulance service, not just the police, "should open up a dialogue with the drinks industry".

For further analysis see September’s drinks business on-trade report.

© db 16th August 2006