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.
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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.