BETWEEN them 96 alcoholics made nearly 40 trips to Warrington Hospital’s A&E unit over Christmas and New Year.

From December 17, 2010 to January 9, 39 visits were made to the emergency department by these patients at a cost of about £80 a time.

Twenty-one of these cases were admitted to hospital, which costs the trust £1,000 per person. A total of 42 referrals were made to the borough’s alcohol service, which offers guidance and a detox programme.

Between December 18, 2009 and January 10, 2010 43 A&E attendances were recorded, 26 of which were admittted to hospital. Fifty-two referrals were made to the alcohol service.

A hospital spokesman said: “Warrington Hospital and NHS Warrington have been working closely to reduce the number of alcohol related emergency attendances and admissions at Warrington Hospital.

“The project pulls together a multi team approach, support workers and a next day clinic to ensure that these patients are receiving the correct support and access to services. It was discovered that only a third of patients are in touch with alcohol services.

“A screening programme in A&E ensures that patients accessing the hospital with an alcohol related attendance also have access to extra support. A nurse provides self help guidance to allow people to understand the effect alcohol is having upon them and to change their drinking habits.”

The 96 patients cost the NHS more than £1 million over a 10-month period in 2010 after they clocked up 340 ambulance call-outs and 853 visits to A&E with 441 resulting in a hospital admission.