The NHS is being transformed into the "national hangover service" as binge-drinking diverts vital resources, the head of the health service in England has said. Simon Stevens condemned "selfish" party-goers in a stark warning as the nation geared up for one of the most alcohol-fuelled nights of the year. The chief executive of NHS England added that the health service is already facing considerable strain from the annual spike in winter emergencies. Millions of revellers were expected to pack bars, pubs and clubs across the UK to celebrate the arrival of 2017 on New Year's Eve. But the celebrations appear to come at a cost, as figures from the health service show that admissions for alcohol-related incidents rocket on the first day of the new year. Mr Stevens said: "At a time of year when hospitals are always under pressure, caring for a spike in winter emergencies, it's really selfish to get so blotto that you end up in an ambulance or A&E. "More than a third of A&E attendances at peak times are caused by drunkenness. Casualty nurses and doctors are understandably frustrated about the NHS being used as a national hangover service. "In our towns and cities this Christmas and...
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