Plea issued for safer drinkng after paramedics in Waltham Forest were called out 1,845 times in 2013 to drink related incidents

In December 2013, 6,194 calls were made to the London Ambulance Service for alcohol related illnesses and injuries – five per cent more than in 2012.

Almost 2,000 people were treated by the London Ambulance Service in Waltham Forest in 2013 – with a big uptake in cases over the festive period.

Around 160 of these were in December.

Each December, the number of drink-related casualties increases, according to LAS.

This year, NHS Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is asking people to avoid filling up the accident and emergency department.

Dr Anwar Khan, a local GP and chair of Waltham Forest CCG, said: “If you are out celebrating, try to plan ahead.

“Make sure you look after your friends and colleagues and know how you are getting home at the end of the night.

“Consider booking a party somewhere that serves meals or snacks or make sure you eat before you go out and stick to safer drinking levels.”