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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/24/nhs-secret-alcohol-liaison-nurse-diary-cuts-devastating-impact
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| The secret alcohol liaison nurse's diary: 'Cuts are having a devastating impact' | The secret alcohol liaison nurse's diary: 'Cuts are having a devastating impact' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thursday | Thursday |
| Even though it’s dry January, the alcohol liaison service is as busy as ever. A man who has used the service before turns up in A&E. He tripped over on the pavement while drunk, hit his head and now has a life-threatening injury. He waited three days to get it seen to, because he’s worried that if he’s admitted he won’t be able to go home and drink his customary bottle of vodka a day. He is adamant that he doesn’t want to get treatment, even though I tell him that he will probably die without it. | Even though it’s dry January, the alcohol liaison service is as busy as ever. A man who has used the service before turns up in A&E. He tripped over on the pavement while drunk, hit his head and now has a life-threatening injury. He waited three days to get it seen to, because he’s worried that if he’s admitted he won’t be able to go home and drink his customary bottle of vodka a day. He is adamant that he doesn’t want to get treatment, even though I tell him that he will probably die without it. |
| We’re ready to discharge him when his family comes in and persuades him to stay in hospital. It’s my job now to manage his withdrawal symptoms. His body is so used to alcohol that without it, he risks delirium, seizures or death. | We’re ready to discharge him when his family comes in and persuades him to stay in hospital. It’s my job now to manage his withdrawal symptoms. His body is so used to alcohol that without it, he risks delirium, seizures or death. |
| Friday | Friday |
| My heart sinks when a client we’ve tried to help multiple times turns up in A&E in a critical condition. She sits on a trolley, ashen, waiting to go to theatre. At one point over the two years I’ve been working with her, I thought I’d got through to her. She was ready to try to beat her addiction and went into rehab. She discharged herself and within a matter of days had started drinking again. Her family, tired of seeing her harm herself as well as the constant lies and deceit, had given up on her, but are now back beside her in hospital. | My heart sinks when a client we’ve tried to help multiple times turns up in A&E in a critical condition. She sits on a trolley, ashen, waiting to go to theatre. At one point over the two years I’ve been working with her, I thought I’d got through to her. She was ready to try to beat her addiction and went into rehab. She discharged herself and within a matter of days had started drinking again. Her family, tired of seeing her harm herself as well as the constant lies and deceit, had given up on her, but are now back beside her in hospital. |
| Related: How the NHS saved my life: I spent my 20s playing Russian roulette with alcohol | |
| She doesn’t survive the operation. She was 36. Between 2% and 3% of our clients die every month, and in most cases they’re young. | She doesn’t survive the operation. She was 36. Between 2% and 3% of our clients die every month, and in most cases they’re young. |
| Saturday | Saturday |
| Weekends don’t make a difference to the number of referrals we get. I find out a 35-year-old client died last week. Her drink of choice was cheap wine. I wonder why advertisers don’t use the people who actually drink their products. The woman I knew looked 70, with dead eyes. I had tried to refer her to community support, but spaces are limited. | Weekends don’t make a difference to the number of referrals we get. I find out a 35-year-old client died last week. Her drink of choice was cheap wine. I wonder why advertisers don’t use the people who actually drink their products. The woman I knew looked 70, with dead eyes. I had tried to refer her to community support, but spaces are limited. |
| Sunday | Sunday |
| The man from Thursday with the life-threatening injury dies. It’s heartbreaking. Why don’t we have a minimum alcohol unit price? Why don’t we have an all-singing, all-dancing NHS alcohol service? Cuts are having a devastating impact. We’re lucky that we have a dedicated team of volunteers, former alcoholics themselves, who are passionate about supporting clients to work towards a life without alcohol. | The man from Thursday with the life-threatening injury dies. It’s heartbreaking. Why don’t we have a minimum alcohol unit price? Why don’t we have an all-singing, all-dancing NHS alcohol service? Cuts are having a devastating impact. We’re lucky that we have a dedicated team of volunteers, former alcoholics themselves, who are passionate about supporting clients to work towards a life without alcohol. |
| Monday | Monday |
| I’m glad it’s day five. We receive multiple referrals where clients have an underlying alcohol-related mental health problem. The two go hand in hand. Mental health services are up to their necks in it and drowning. If someone’s primary problem is alcohol, they won’t get treatment for it. GPs hand out antidepressants but they have no effect if someone is pouring alcohol, a depressant, down their throat. | I’m glad it’s day five. We receive multiple referrals where clients have an underlying alcohol-related mental health problem. The two go hand in hand. Mental health services are up to their necks in it and drowning. If someone’s primary problem is alcohol, they won’t get treatment for it. GPs hand out antidepressants but they have no effect if someone is pouring alcohol, a depressant, down their throat. |
| A woman turns up in A&E who was drinking two bottles of wine a night when I saw her two months ago. I had a difficult, frank and awkward discussion with her. She was angry and I thought I hadn’t got through to her and that would be the end. I go to see her and find out she’s in hospital now with a non alcohol-related injury. She takes one look at me and says: “Oh, it’s you again. I haven’t drunk a drop of alcohol since I saw you.” I thought I had been banging my head against a brick wall! | A woman turns up in A&E who was drinking two bottles of wine a night when I saw her two months ago. I had a difficult, frank and awkward discussion with her. She was angry and I thought I hadn’t got through to her and that would be the end. I go to see her and find out she’s in hospital now with a non alcohol-related injury. She takes one look at me and says: “Oh, it’s you again. I haven’t drunk a drop of alcohol since I saw you.” I thought I had been banging my head against a brick wall! |
| Most difficult decision: It’s the clients that make the difficult decisions. Watching them grapple with life-changing decisions and an overwhelming desire to continue harming themselves is hard. | Most difficult decision: It’s the clients that make the difficult decisions. Watching them grapple with life-changing decisions and an overwhelming desire to continue harming themselves is hard. |
| Most satisfying moment: Finding out that woman had listened to what I said, taken action and was now alcohol-free. | Most satisfying moment: Finding out that woman had listened to what I said, taken action and was now alcohol-free. |
| Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views. | Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views. |