I have been involved in these types of discussion before, wearing my real hat, rather than the luxury of Mudcat "say whatever comes into your head, or say in order to wind someone up."

I tended to give the example of a travellers' campsite near the village I used to live. Some Daily M*il type breather noted that we were sending health visitors into the campsite and demanded we stop wasting his tax payer's money on those who opt out of society; let them see the consequences of opting out.

Other than the obvious bits about children neither opting in or out, I pointed out that Tuberculosis was a high risk of incidence disease amongst the travellers, and even if you couldn't bring yourself to helping those in need, at least accept that these travellers visited the same shops, pubs etc as you and we are protecting you as well as them by monitoring and offering health information.

Ok Mather, there's a brick wall. See what it knows about War and Peace.

Related to this thread, Don points out that healthcare professionals will try to treat whatever slides or crawls through the door without fear nor favour, or words to that effect. Too true.

But also, in stabilising drunks, they are also keeping them from being a danger to themselves or others. Plus, trying to sort them at that stage is far cheaper to the beloved tax payer than the slow slide of failing health that accompanies long term addiction. Some people are rather ashamed after their first stomach pump, and rarely end up joining the A&E frequent flyers club.

Oh, and protecting staff is of paramount priority. Police will and do deal with aggressive drunks and charges are brought, regardless of what you may read.