AMBULANCE SERVICE ASKS PARTY GOERS TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT DRINK
Thursday, 17 December, 2009
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) is pleading with the regions' party goers to stop and think about drink this Christmas.
With many people attending office parties, house parties and meeting up with friends at the pub, Christmas is a really important time to keep track of how much you're drinking.
The department of health advises that women should drink no more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day and men should drink no more than 3-4 units per day. A unit is equal to 10mil of pure alcohol.
NWAS Director of Emergency Services, Derek Cartwright said: "We are not trying to put a dampener on the festive season. We are simply asking that party goers take a sensible and moderate approach in order to reduce the risk of becoming another 'statistic'.
"This is the busiest time of the year for the ambulance service without the added pressure of alcohol related calls, many of which can be avoided.
"In genuine life-threatening emergencies, time matters. If people stop and think about drink this Christmas and take a sensible approach, they can play their part in ensuring ambulance crews are free to attend to vulnerable and very poorly people."
Tips to stay in control:
- Before you go out make sure you eat a proper meal. Drinking on an empty stomach means the alcohol will affect you much faster, you are also likely to drink much more quickly on an empty stomach.
- Plan how you are going to get home and do not go home alone - and keep enough money to take a licensed taxi.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with glasses of water.
- Always accept ice, as this will dilute your drink and make it last longer
- Drinking rounds can mean you end up drinking too much - drink at your own pace.
- Drink smaller drinks - singles instead of doubles or a standard glass of wine instead of a large glass. A large glass of wine in most bars is equivalent to a third of a bottle!
- Don't mix alcohol with recreational drugs, especially stimulants (such as ecstasy or cocaine).
- Take 48 hours off from drinking to give your body time to recover.
Derek added: "It is also important to remember hangovers, headaches and feeling under the weather after a night out can generally be treated in your own home using medicine from your local pharmacist and getting plenty of rest."
In the short-term, drinking to excess can land you in A&E, but it can also pile on the pounds! Did you know, a small bag of crisps is the food equivalent of a glass of white wine, a sausage roll is the equivalent of a pint of lager and a chicken drumstick is the equivalent of a cream liquer?
