Drunken Cambridge students in fancy dress disrupt busy A&E department

Hospital writes to university to complain about students' behavior

(Addenbrooke's)

A hospital has written to Cambridge University to complain about the behaviour of drunken students who “innundated” its A&E department on a hectic Tuesday night.

A steady stream of inebriated students in fancy dress – some with facial injuries apparently caused by fighting – disrupted doctors’ work until as late as 4am at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

The email said that students were admitted in various states of consciousness “on an already busy night”, and were “disruptive and rude”. Some apparently wandered around the hospital interrupting consultations and disturbing other patients.

It is thought that the students had been attending a sports event, but it is not known who they are, or which college or colleges they attend.  

Dr Adrian Boyle, a consultant at Addenbrooke’s A&E, said: “We can confirm that we have written to a Cambridge college to raise concerns about a small number of students who were behaving irresponsibly and causing operational difficulty in the Emergency Department. This is a relatively unusual occurrence but it did cause problems for staff on the night in question.”

A Cambridge spokesperson condemned the students, meanwhile.

He said: “The university deplores the reported unacceptable behaviour by students in A&E. An investigation is underway.”

Addenbrooke’s, which opened in 1866, is a university hospital. Many Cambridge medical students work there during the clinical part of their degree.