SW alcohol issues worsen
The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in Busselton has risen by 50 per cent in four years.
The figures obtained by the _Times _from the WA Country Health Service, the most recent available, show the number of alcohol-related hospitalisations for Busselton city increased from 125 in 2008 to 187 in 2012.
The news follows an Australasian College for Emergency Medicine survey which revealed an alarming proportion of patients were attending emergency departments because of harmful alcohol consumption. Busselton doctor Vinnie Pushpalingam said he had seen an increase in alcohol-related admissions at the emergency department in Busselton.
"It's difficult to know why," he said.
"There are probably multiple reasons, in terms of access to alcohol and other drugs.
"It's hard to pin point and it's not unique to Busselton - it's across the State and country."
Dr Pushpalingam said the wider availability of alcohol and its growing acceptability, particularly among the young, could be part of the reason.
He said drug and alcohol rehabilitation services were available in Busselton but "there could always be more".
When it came to dealing with patients displaying alcohol-related aggression, hospital staff relied on the police, Dr Pushpalingam said.
"At busy times like school holidays or schoolies we have security at the hospital but it's not 24/7," he said.
"That's something that's being looked at."
According to the WACHS, the average number of alcohol-related hospitalisations in the Busselton region (excluding the city) increased by 11 per cent from 44 in 2008 to 49 in 2012.
South West regional tobacco, alcohol and other drugs co-ordinator Jenny Payet said the WACHS had partnered with the City of Busselton, police and liquor licensees in the development of the Dunsborough/Busselton Liquor Accord.
"The accord aims to work with licensees in the reduction of alcohol-related harm in the Busselton area and surrounding districts," she said.
"This will in turn reduce the number of alcohol-related admissions to hospitals."
Alcoholics Anonymous Busselton member "Elizabeth" said the group had grown in the past two years. She said on average about a dozen people attended meetings, and among them were mothers in their 20s. "Alcoholism seems to be becoming more common in Busselton," she said.
Busselton AA meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 7pm at the Uniting Church on Kent Street.
For more information, call 9752 1573, 0498 484 537 or 9754 1119.
