The number of under-16s arriving drunk at accident and emergency inAberdeenhas soared by a shocking 60 per cent.
And health chiefs have warned that more and more vital hospital beds are now being filled up with booze-binge schoolchildren.
Alarming statistics reveal the number of people treated for alcohol-related emergencies by NHS Lothian has soared by 68 per cent.
There were 4,751 cases in 2008/09, up from 2,823 in 2006/07. And inAberdeen, the number has risen from 1,712 people five years ago to 2,220 in 2008/09.
The figure for the same period in Aberdeenshire increased from 900 to 1,051.
The numbers were only topped by Greater Glasgow andClyde, with 13,592 alcohol-related discharges in 2008/09.
Worried politicians last night called for urgent action to tackleScotland’s underage drinking shame.
MSP Murdo Fraser, the Tory shadow health secretary, said: “These are frightening figures that show just how deep the problem is. We have to target problem drinks and problem drinkers, give better education on the dangers of alcohol abuse, and crack down on those who sell to children.”
A Labour spokesman called the new statistics “highly alarming”.
He added: “The SNP Government has to bring forward measures that actually work. They need to crack down on the rogue shops that openly sell booze to kids.”
And north-east MSP Maureen Watt said: “The scale of the increase inAberdeenis deeply alarming.
“It is the second largest increase acrossScotlandand more than three times the national average.”
The Nats MSP added: “Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is not the only hospital in which, on any night of the week, beds and trolleys are blocked by people sleeping off the effects of drink.
“Do taxpayers think that is a good use of their money and health professionals’ time? I do not think so.”
Dr Pauline Strachan, director of acute services at NHS Grampian, told a Holyrood committee: “If we look at accident and emergency attendance it was traditionally 20 to 30-year-olds.
“Now we see children as young as 10, 11 or 12 being presented in a drunken state.
“There had been a 60 per cent increase in children under 16 being admitted drunk at accident and emergency.
“Also about 20 or 25 years ago, it tended to be 50 or 60-year-olds who had chronic liver disease.
“Now it’s not unusual for people in their 20s.”
Ambulance chiefs inAberdeenrecently revealed they dealt with more than 6,000 calls during popular drinking times last year.
NHS Grampian said: “Alcohol misuse places an unnecessary burden on emergency services.”
Source:scottish-sun@the-sun.co.uk 15th June 2010