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'Booze bus' goes on patrol
Benedict Moore-Bridger19 Dec 2008
AN ambulance has been trawling the West End to help workers who have had too much alcohol at office Christmas parties.
The London Ambulance Service vehicle has been brought in to help relieve the pressure on A&E departments, which are struggling to cope because of the winter illness season.
The alternate response vehicle, nicknamed the "booze bus", targets drunk people and allows other emergency services to concentrate on genuine emergencies.
It comes after Peter Bradley, the national director of ambulance services, said the entire health system was suffering with the situation made particularly bad by the Christmas and New Year party season.
The bus - which operates throughout this month - adds to the LAS "field hospital", installed beside Platform 10 at Liverpool Street station.
The bus is the idea of paramedic team leader Brian Hayes, who, along with technician Jason Barr and A&E support Cheryl Aggarwal, were yesterday and today patrolling the West End looking for vulnerable revellers during what is the capital's biggest party weekend.
One casualty was 26-year-old Tina, who was found slumped against a wall and vomiting just after 10.30pm having attended a Debenhams Christmas party at Café de Paris in Soho.
After all the necessary medical checks, she was propped in the back of the bus with a plastic bag around her neck.
Mr Hayes, who turned 39 during the 9pm to 7am shift today, said: "It is typical. If they are angry on the street we won't take them. I'm not prepared to put any of my crew in jeopardy because they have had too much to drink and want to fight.
"It is a nightmare. Our aim is to get the drunks off the streets and free up ambulances.
"It really puts you off drinking."
Mr Barr added: "It gets hairy, and we do get threatened.
"One man, a publican, threatened to put me in a wheelchair because I was trying to get him up off the floor. I was doing him a favour - there is no call for it."
Reader views (2)
This country certainly has its priority's right.I don't suppose the health authorities have thought of charging them for this service?After all the brewers are making millions out of the people who chose to drink them selves dafter,why cant the tax payer.I just feel sorry for the ambulance personal that have to suffer these types and there borish behaviour.I think the fire service should deal with them useing high pressure hoses.
- Kev, London, 20/12/2008 08:41
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Why should the good men and women of our ambulance service be diverted to the aid these idiots who over-indulge on alcohol to the point of becoming incapable??
I like a couple of pints, like anyone else, but I know when enough is enough. And I really get fed up of at the sight of people urinating in doorways, or regurgitating their dinners onto the pavement. To think that some of them are in senior positions in businesses too...No wonder this country's in a mess!
- Jock, London, 19/12/2008 12:16
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