hi

Having played rugby at a high level for many years like many of my team-mates I was no stranger to A&E on a Saturday night.

Obviously we we always treated but there was always a certain amount of " self-inflicted injury" in the minds of some of the staff.

Of course serious injuries were given the correct priorities but lesser ones sometimes were deliberately kept waiting longer than others who had come later for treatment.

Around that time there were suggestions from Government that this kind of treatment should be charged for. Happily this did not receive any real backing.

Recently I spent quite a bit of time visiting hospital to see my brother-in-law. During this time he spent some time in a ward that contained some patients being treated for alcohol excess.

It seemed that some of these were habitual "offenders". The patients were extremely difficult to handle and certainly did not appreciate the staff that were trying to help them. Nor did it help "real" patients who were genuinely ill. In theses case I see no reason why there could not be some charge for this.

It may help the patients to realise that what they are doing is a drain on the resources of the NHS and the money may well have more effect to help these people to curtail their drinking.

I do see "the thin end of the wedge argument but something has to be done.

Cheers

MikeL2