Booze bus launched to curb loutish behaviour in Camden

LOUTISH behaviour in Camden has prompted the launch of a dedicated booze bus to deal with the high number of alcohol-related 999 calls. It is hoped the new bus service will relieve the pressure on ambulance and A&E staff as well as reducing alcohol-rela

LOUTISH behaviour in Camden has prompted the launch of a dedicated 'booze bus' to deal with the high number of alcohol-related 999 calls.

It is hoped the new bus service will relieve the pressure on ambulance and A&E staff as well as reducing alcohol-related injuries.

One paramedic and two emergency medical technicians will work on the bus to cover the areas which have the most booze-related call-outs in the borough. They will assess and treat patients on the scene and only take them to hospital if necessary.

Ambulance operations manager Kevin Brown said: "The booze bus will help us to assess and treat these patients without necessarily having to clog up the local A&E department.

"More importantly, this dedicated service will free up other ambulances in the borough so they are available for patients who have a life-threatening emergency and really need our help."

The London Ambulance Service has teamed up with the council and the primary care trust to pilot the bus after a successful trial in central London.

It will operate in Camden Town on Friday and Saturday nights between 9pm and 3am and will hopefully be up and running within the next two months.

In 2007/08 nearly 3,600 ambulance call-outs in Camden were alcohol related - an increase of 16 per cent on the year before.