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| Drink-fuelled attacks worry A&E | Drink-fuelled attacks worry A&E |
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| The proportion of alcohol-related assaults has almost doubled over the past decade, according to research at a hospital in south Wales. | The proportion of alcohol-related assaults has almost doubled over the past decade, according to research at a hospital in south Wales. |
| Back in 1997, 47% of assaults dealt with at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport were linked to alcohol but this rose to 84% in 2008. | Back in 1997, 47% of assaults dealt with at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport were linked to alcohol but this rose to 84% in 2008. |
| The figures were unveiled in a study into the effects of alcohol on facial injuries seen by its A&E department. | The figures were unveiled in a study into the effects of alcohol on facial injuries seen by its A&E department. |
| The proportion of more serious injuries such as broken jaws has also risen. | The proportion of more serious injuries such as broken jaws has also risen. |
| The research also found 93% of assault patients seen were male. | The research also found 93% of assault patients seen were male. |
| The study suggests the rises could be related to the increased availability of alcohol in recent years. | The study suggests the rises could be related to the increased availability of alcohol in recent years. |
| The research was carried out by oral surgeons Dr Chris Greenall and Dr Tim Jones who both work in the hospital's maxillofacial department. | The research was carried out by oral surgeons Dr Chris Greenall and Dr Tim Jones who both work in the hospital's maxillofacial department. |
| They looked at specialist referrals from casualty for facial injuries, the numbers of which were remarkably similar - 226 cases in 1997 and 227 in 2008. | |
| But the types of injury and proportion of drink-related cases had changed in that time. | |
| Overall, the research found there had been a 20% increase in the number of patients suffering alcohol-related facial injuries over the past decade. It seems more and more people are drinking to a point where they are doing these sorts of things to each other Dr Chris Greenall (pictured right) | Overall, the research found there had been a 20% increase in the number of patients suffering alcohol-related facial injuries over the past decade. It seems more and more people are drinking to a point where they are doing these sorts of things to each other Dr Chris Greenall (pictured right) |
| They found the most common type of facial injury dealt with by the A&E department involved soft tissue trauma, such as cuts and lacerations, which mainly require stitches and leave patients with permanent scars. | They found the most common type of facial injury dealt with by the A&E department involved soft tissue trauma, such as cuts and lacerations, which mainly require stitches and leave patients with permanent scars. |
| In 1997, these kinds of injuries accounted for 90% of all facial injuries but this percentage fell to 73% by 2008. | In 1997, these kinds of injuries accounted for 90% of all facial injuries but this percentage fell to 73% by 2008. |
| On the other hand, hard tissue trauma involving broken bones rose with cheekbone fractures rising from 3% to 17% and the incidence of broken jaws rising from 6% to 10% over the same period. | On the other hand, hard tissue trauma involving broken bones rose with cheekbone fractures rising from 3% to 17% and the incidence of broken jaws rising from 6% to 10% over the same period. |
| In terms of alcohol, the proportion of broken jaws which were related to drinking rose from 69% to 81% while dental injuries, where people had their teeth knocked out, rose from just 7% to 35%. | In terms of alcohol, the proportion of broken jaws which were related to drinking rose from 69% to 81% while dental injuries, where people had their teeth knocked out, rose from just 7% to 35%. |
| The proportion of broken cheekbones as a result of drink remained roughly the same but the actual numbers dealt with by the department rose from six to 39 over the period of the study. | The proportion of broken cheekbones as a result of drink remained roughly the same but the actual numbers dealt with by the department rose from six to 39 over the period of the study. |
| The study's other key findings showed that people's injuries are more spread out over the course of a day with larger peaks of injuries found during the early hours of the morning. DRINK-RELATED ASSAULT CASES All cases involving alcohol - Up from 24% to 37%Alcohol-related injuries in males - Up from 26% to 47%Alcohol-related assaults - Up from 47% to 84%Alcohol-related lacerations - Up from 22% to 26%Alcohol-related broken jaws - Up from 69% to 81%Alcohol-related dental injuries - Up from 7% to 35%Alcohol-related assaults, 1997 to 2008. Source: Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport | The study's other key findings showed that people's injuries are more spread out over the course of a day with larger peaks of injuries found during the early hours of the morning. DRINK-RELATED ASSAULT CASES All cases involving alcohol - Up from 24% to 37%Alcohol-related injuries in males - Up from 26% to 47%Alcohol-related assaults - Up from 47% to 84%Alcohol-related lacerations - Up from 22% to 26%Alcohol-related broken jaws - Up from 69% to 81%Alcohol-related dental injuries - Up from 7% to 35%Alcohol-related assaults, 1997 to 2008. Source: Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport |
| Senior house officer Dr Jones said: "We were quite surprised by the findings as the British Crime Survey has shown a reduction in interpersonal violence over the same period as the study and we weren't really expecting an increase. | Senior house officer Dr Jones said: "We were quite surprised by the findings as the British Crime Survey has shown a reduction in interpersonal violence over the same period as the study and we weren't really expecting an increase. |
| "A similar study was carried out by St Thomas' Hospital in 2007 and that supported the findings we've found here. | "A similar study was carried out by St Thomas' Hospital in 2007 and that supported the findings we've found here. |
| "Fridays and Saturdays are still fight nights. There have always been peaks between midnight and 2am but now they last until 3am and 4am in the morning. | "Fridays and Saturdays are still fight nights. There have always been peaks between midnight and 2am but now they last until 3am and 4am in the morning. |
| "It's not unusual for us to start a shift at 8pm and carry on stitching people up right through the night in accident and emergency until 7am the next morning." | "It's not unusual for us to start a shift at 8pm and carry on stitching people up right through the night in accident and emergency until 7am the next morning." |
| Clinical fellow Dr Greenall added: "We're not saying people shouldn't drink because people like to have a beer but it seems more and more people are drinking to a point where they are doing these sorts of things to each other. | Clinical fellow Dr Greenall added: "We're not saying people shouldn't drink because people like to have a beer but it seems more and more people are drinking to a point where they are doing these sorts of things to each other. |
| "Whether it's in their nature or whether you can blame it on the beer you just can't really say. | "Whether it's in their nature or whether you can blame it on the beer you just can't really say. |
| "You can't really say it's just down to the increased availability of alcohol over the 24-hour period but these changes are set against that background. | "You can't really say it's just down to the increased availability of alcohol over the 24-hour period but these changes are set against that background. |
| "Although we're seeing the same number of people, we're seeing the amount of cases involving alcohol rise and more alcohol-related assaults and we're also seeing more severe assaults. | "Although we're seeing the same number of people, we're seeing the amount of cases involving alcohol rise and more alcohol-related assaults and we're also seeing more severe assaults. |
| "It just shows how our A&E services are having to deal with more and more serious injuries which is putting a greater burden on already under-pressure hospital services." | "It just shows how our A&E services are having to deal with more and more serious injuries which is putting a greater burden on already under-pressure hospital services." |
| The comparative study was carried out using figures collected over the same three-month period - 1 May until 31 July - in 1997 and 2008. | The comparative study was carried out using figures collected over the same three-month period - 1 May until 31 July - in 1997 and 2008. |
| Dr Greenall and Dr Jones presented their findings at the annual conference of the British Association of Oral Surgeons in Edinburgh last month, where they won first prize for their research. | Dr Greenall and Dr Jones presented their findings at the annual conference of the British Association of Oral Surgeons in Edinburgh last month, where they won first prize for their research. |