Media Release

Date: 1 January 2014

First baby born 12.10am, plus 15 alcohol related presentations to ED

Waikato Hospital welcomed its first baby 10 minutes after midnight, a boy who arrived five weeks early for his Hamilton parents.*

This good news was in stark contrast to the situation in the hospital's Emergency Department where between 11pm and 6.30am, there were 12 alcohol related assaults and three alcohol related injuries.

Projects are underway this year at the emergency departments in each of the five Midland DHBs, Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti and Taranaki, to try to identify those patients that present with an alcohol related injury or harm.

Current data available from emergency department grossly underestimates the extent of the problem as most EDs only record the primary presenting problem.

http://waikatodhb.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/midland-emergency-departments-determined-to-reduce-harm-from-alcohol-consumption/

* Please note, the mother and father are unavailable to the media at this stage. Will check later in morning.

ENDS