AN Orange hotel licensee has said the excessive consumption of alcohol across the central west is a wide spread social problem which cannot be simply addressed by licensed venues.
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Royal Hotel licensee Tony McClure said the binge drinking culture had been around for years.
“Binge drinking is a common factor and it is taking place in homes and parks, where people can drink cheap grog.”
“Not many people are out trying to binge drink at licensed premises; it would cost them too much.”
Western NSW LHD Director of Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol services Dr Russel Roberts agreed.
“Venues are generally good at intervening, cutting people off before there are serious accidents or assaults.”
Dr Roberts said excessive alcohol consumption became a real issue in less controlled environments where alcohol related assaults were more likely to take place.
He said overcoming the excessive consumption of alcohol was a national issue.
“Substance abuse is unfortunately in the nature of human beings,” he said.
“Reports from the Nation Drug and Alcohol Research Centre show while alcohol use may be higher in rural and regional areas, illicit drug use is higher in the metros, it all has a lot to do with availability.”
A report recently released by the Western New South Wales Local Health District (WNSW LHD) found 7.7 per cent of the population were consuming alcohol at levels considered to be a risk to their health.
The figures were in line with those of rural NSW, but above the NSW average of 5.4 per cent.
The report indicated the Bathurst region, followed by Orange, had the highest rates of excessive alcohol consumption.
Dr Roberts said this could be linked to the high university populations in both regions.
However he also said the alcohol related hospitalisations detailed in the report were probably a truer representation of dangerous levels of alcohol consumption in the region.
In terms of hospitalisations, WNSW’s rate was only slightly higher than the NSW average. While within the district, the Remote and North West regions were of the biggest concern.
“If we could reduce the number of alcohol related hospitalisations, it would free up so many more hospital beds.”
Dr Roberts said the WNSW LHD would continue to strengthen a variety of drug and alcohol services throughout the region, including the Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment Unit based in Orange.
“The program which started in August last year, allows us to help people who have severe problems with alcohol to the point where their judgement has been impaired.”
“It is helping people commit to a better life and so far we have found that when a lot of the people become sober, their involvement becomes voluntary.”
Dr Roberts said continuing work with Community Drug Action Teams and programs like Goodsports, which encourages sports player to be good role models, was also vital to addressing the harmful consumption of alcohol.
Hotel licensee Mr McClure said more education was key to addressing the culture of excessive drinking.
“We need more education in the schools on deterrence and people need to learn that they have to take responsibility for their actions."
The findings from the Health Needs Assessment report will go into the formation of a Strategic Health Services Plan to provide the framework and direction for Western NSW LHD operations during the next three years.
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