300 under-11s in A&E over alcohol abuse

Nearly 300 children aged 11 or under attended UK accident and emergency departments last year after drinking too much, according to new figures.

More than 6,500 under-18s were admitted to A&E departments in 2012/13 with alcohol-related conditions, of whom 293 were 11 years old or younger.

The figures, obtained after a Freedom of Information request by the Victoria Derbyshire programme on BBC Radio 5 Live, showed that there were 30 cases of children aged 11 or under staying overnight in hospital with an alcohol-related illness during the same period.

Girls in the 12 to 14 and 15 to 17 age groups outnumbered boys for attendances at accident and emergency departments for alcohol-related conditions in 2012/13. Boys outnumbered girls in the category of 11 and under.

Overall the number of attendances at A&E for under-18s with alcohol-related conditions fell from 7,821 in 2011/12 to 6,580 in 2012/13.

The findings come from information released by 125 of the UK's 189 NHS trust and health boards.

PA