Child alcohol and drugs 'worry'

22 August 2011 Last updated at 05:28 GMT By Kevin Leonard BBC Wales News reporter More than 800 children have ended up in casualty in each of the past three years having drunk alcohol Children as young as four have been treated in accident and emergency departments in Wales for the effects of alcohol, research shows.

Figures obtained by BBC Wales suggest at least 1,200 children attend casualty each year because of drink and drugs.

Children under 12 are among cases of alcohol and drug poisoning.

Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh secretary of the British Medical Association, said the issue was "increasingly worrying".

"I think it's pretty well recognised by health services and health professionals that there's an increasing problem with both alcohol and drug-related incidents with younger and younger people," said Dr Lewis.

"We see year-on-year increases with attendances at A&E departments, particularly for alcohol."

One young person in casualty as a result of alcohol and drugs was one too many, he said.

"It is increasingly worrying. The BMA and the health profession have been advancing for some time the importance of raising the awareness of alcohol in particular," he added.

The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, show that more than 800 children have attended casualty in each of the past three years in cases where alcohol is a factor.

Hundreds more have been seen after taking drugs, although figures are not necessarily for substance abuse as they may include incidents such as an accidental swallowing of tablets or medication overdose.

Legal highs

Clive Wolfendale, chief executive of north Wales drug and alcohol agency Cais, said the problem of children regularly drinking to such extremes had taken off around five years ago.

"Where kids go first for what might be described as a high is drink, rather than cannabis or opiates or ecstasy or legal highs. The substance of choice is alcohol," he said.

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It's perceived as a cool thing to do. That's why young people are much more likely to end up in casualty requiring a stomach pump”

End Quote Clive Wolfendale Cais drug and alcohol agency "The reasons for that are two-fold. First of all it's the cheapness and availability because, in real terms, it's cheaper that it's ever been."

The former North Wales Police deputy chief constable said efforts to prevent the sale of alcohol to children was "easily circumvented" by older people buying it on their behalf.

"The second reason [for alcohol's popularity] is the general thrust of marketing," he added.

"The drink companies are on social networking sites and there's still a lot of direct advertising going on through sports sponsorship and so on.

"It's perceived as a cool thing to do. That's why young people are much more likely to end up in casualty requiring a stomach pump and so on."

Welsh Government guidance states that children under 15 should not drink alcohol as there is evidence that it can harm the developing brain, bones and hormones. It also warns that drinking at 15 and older can be hazardous to health.

Aneurin Bevan Health Board, a small board which covers the former Gwent area, said the vast majority of cases contained in its figures related to teenage alcohol intoxication and misuse.

Drug misuse

However, the health board has also dealt with 21 cases of actual alcohol poisoning among children since 2006, including six for children aged 11 and under.

It has also treated 39 children for drug poisoning from narcotics/hallucinogens since 2006, including 10 last year.

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Whilst educating children and young people must remain a top priority, there is also a need for adults involved in a child's life to take responsibility”

End Quote Keith Towler Children's Commissioner for Wales Larger health boards such as Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, which serves Swansea, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, Cardiff and Vale, and Betsi Cadwaladr, which covers north Wales, each treat hundreds of children every year in their casualty departments for the effects of drink and drugs.

Children's Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler, said the figures did not come as a surprise.

"The Welsh Government published its latest wellbeing monitor earlier this year which highlighted how people aged under 20 account for almost one in 10 of all referrals for treatment for alcohol problems in Wales," he said.

"The long-term dangers of alcohol and drug misuse are well documented, and more and more young people now understand the health risks associated with excessive drinking and are, in fact, choosing to avoid alcohol.

"But if we want to successfully combat this problem I think we need to shift society's general attitudes towards alcohol.

"There is plenty of information out there to help children and young people make informed decisions but children tend to succumb to peer pressure and often model the behaviour of those around them.

"Whilst educating children and young people must remain a top priority, there is also a need for adults involved in a child's life to take responsibility."

Welsh Government figures for 2008-09 showed that more than 120 children under the age of 12 in Wales were referred for specialist help for drug and alcohol problems.

Health Board 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

SOURCE: Health boards through FoI request

Hywel Dda and Cardiff and Vale figures include ages 11 and under

Powys does not have accident and emergency facilities

Health Board 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

SOURCE: Health boards through FoI request

* Minimum figure

Cwm Taf figures include alcohol

Hywel Dda figures also include those aged 11 and under

Powys does not have accident and emergency facilities

Health Board 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

SOURCE: Health boards through FoI request

* Numbers are small and board considers disclosure a potential risk of identifying individuals

** There were a total of 21 from 2006 to 2010 - breakdown not supplied

Powys does not have accident and emergency facilities

Figures between health boards may not be directly comparable as differing methods of compiling data have been used.

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Lapse 'allowed drugs into prison'

3 May 2011 Last updated at 23:23 GMT HMP Isle of Wight opened last year as a merged site from the island's three prisons A "serious" security breach allowed "huge quantities" of drugs and mobile phones to get into a prison on the Isle of Wight, a report has revealed.

The breach was found in a mobile unit in Camp Hill, Newport, last year but has since been fixed, inspectors found.

More than 100 "vulnerable spots" where prisoners could gain access to out-of-bounds areas were also reported at the site, now known as HMP Isle of Wight.

A Prison Service spokesman said ministers would consider the findings.

HMP Isle of Wight officially opened last year after the merger of Camp Hill, Parkhurst and Albany prisons in 2009.

Last year officials foiled an escape by a convicted murderer who had used hidden codes in sudoku puzzles and written in "invisible" lemon juice.

'Jail unprotected'

A report by the prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said the merger had reduced budget costs but not without impacting on "every aspect" of the establishment.

Drugs are "freely available" and "literally dozens" of mobile phones have been seized from prisoners over the past year, the report found.

Brian Lawrence was convicted of murder in 2005

The main problem was recorded at category C prison Camp Hill, although Parkhurst and Albany were "far from drug and phone free".

The report said the amount of drugs left prisoners living in "real fear" for their safety, due to debts owed.

The board said it was concerned over the number of prisoners who had made their way on to the roof of the prison, prompting teams being deployed from the mainland at considerable expense.

The board also reported it was "totally unacceptable" that a prison housing almost 1,700 inmates had only one dog handler with two dogs. Previously the dog team had the equivalent of five full-time and one part-time handler working with 11 animals.

It said the "drastic reduction" left the jail unprotected for a cumulative total of more than 130 days a year.

Foreign prisoners

The board has asked the justice minister to review the situation as a matter of urgency.

It said there needed to be "urgent attention" not only at HMP Isle of Wight but at other establishments housing foreign prisoners whose sentences had been completed but continued to remain inside awaiting deportation.

It commended a number of drug monitoring and rehabilitation teams for their work in trying to reduce drug and alcohol dependence.

Prison guards and the police were congratulated after foiling a planned escape by murderer Brian Lawrence, who communicated with accomplices using codes hidden in sudoku puzzles.

Lawrence had plotted to escape by helicopter from Parkhurst last summer using helicopter flights at the Isle of Wight Festival as cover.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "We thank the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Isle of Wight for their report, which will be fully considered by ministers.

"We will respond to the board in due course."

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Warning over excess thyroid drugs

29 April 2011 Last updated at 02:36 The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine Many elderly people may be taking "excessive" medication for their thyroid problems, increasing their fracture risk, researchers warn.

A synthetic hormone, thyroxine, is given to people whose thyroid glands produce too little naturally.

But writing in the British Medical Journal, researchers say having too much boosts fracture risk and doses may need to be reduced as people age.

A British expert said there was not enough research into the condition.

It has been estimated that 20% of older people are on long-term treatment for an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Patients are supposed to be checked regularly to ensure they are on the right dose, but for many it often remains unchanged into old age.

This can lead to people developing the opposite problem, an over-active thyroid - caused by having too much thyroxine - which can increase the risk of fractures, particularly in older women.

In this study, a team from the Women's College Research Institute in Toronto looked at 213,500 people aged 70 and over who had received at least one prescription for levothyroxine - the synthetic version of thyroxine - between 2002 and 2007.

'Unexpectedly low'

Participants were grouped into people who were currently on the medication, those who had stopped taking it between 15 and 180 days prior to study and those who had stopped taking it more than 180 days prior.

Just over 10% - 22,236 people - had had at least one fracture during the study period.

Those who were currently taking thyroxine, or who had recently stopped were at a significantly higher risk of experiencing fractures.

Writing in the BMJ, the researchers led by Dr Lorraine Lipscombe, said it suggested medication levels should be more closely monitored "in this vulnerable population".

In the same journal, Professor Graham Leese at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, said ideal thyroxine doses may vary with age and be "unexpectedly low" in elderly people.

"It is 120 years since the effect of excess thyroid hormone on bone was first described, yet research in this area still lacks funding," he said.

"With the prevalence of treated hypothyroidism increasing, and the annual economic burden of fractures in the United Kingdom currently estimated at £5.1bn ($8.4bn), such research warrants a higher priority."

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