Queensland Health will employ shock tactics to curb the increasing trend of alcohol-fuelled violence by taking school students through hospitals to view the carnage first-hand.
Queensland's parliamentary law, justice and safety committee was advised of the program today at a public hearing in its inquiry into alcohol-related violence.
Queensland Health associate professor Dr Alan O'Connor said that in the past five years alcohol-related injuries had increased from five per cent to seven per cent of the total admissions at the Royal Brisbane Hospital's emergency department.
"That translates into a number of just over 3000 to 5000 patients each year," Dr O'Connor said.
From next week, Queensland Health will begin a pilot program - Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) - where high school students will visit hospitals to show them the consequences of excessive binge drinking, he said.
Dr O'Connor said he anticipated the PARTY program will be rolled out in hospitals across the state in a couple of months, citing a similar program in Canada had proven effective.
"The students will be brought into the emergency department, given lectures, and shown where people go," he said.
He also said on occasions the students would talk to patients who were willing to participate in the program.
"If a patient has consented to being part of the program, the students could also be shown pictures of their injuries," he said.
"I think it will give students a wake-up call, and show them that alcohol-related violence is a reality."
Also at the hearing, the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union called on the committee to recommend increasing fines and custodial sentences for those involved in alcohol-fuelled violence.
Union organiser Kroy Day told the hearing that in 2006 there were 26 reported assaults on ambulance officers, while in 2009 the number had increased to more than 150 assaults.
"More than 90 per cent of those were alcohol-related, which is an absolutely unacceptable trend," he said.
Ambulance officer Nigel Stamp said it did not matter whether it was a weekend or a weeknight, he was at risk of becoming a victim of alcohol-related violence at any time while on the job.
"It could just be a simple job where a child is in trouble, and the family gets protective, the next thing we know we're in a brawl with them," he said.
AAP
critique: It is really a creative policy to deter teenagers from taking alcoholic drink excessively! However, what will be th effects on teenagers? will the situation be worsen(don't forget that teenagers are rebellious)? Or it change change their life to a better one?
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