St George's Hospital in Tooting has doubled its medical staff to get through New Year's Eve, as alcohol related incidents increase in their Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.

Dr Mansoor Husain, consultant in A&E, will be on duty after a relatively quiet Christmas period.

Dr Husain said: "We know the Christmas period will be busy, but this year the day itself was not very busy because people are home having their Christmas meals.

"There was nothing out of the ordinary.

"For New Year's Eve, we are anticipating it will be busy.

"We are double staffed from the medical side on all levels.

"We have two consultants, two registrars and around six to seven junior doctors.

"We will be stretched. We will have alcohol related traumas whether it is major traumas or injuries related to alcohol.

"We are going to see a reasonable amount of alcohol related social problems too, such as homelessness, alcoholics and drug addicts."

Dr Husain, who is one of the doctors featured of Channel 4's 24 hours in A and E, said the Christmas period often worsens social issues for those who are on their own.

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In addition to the added pressures of New Year's Eve, the Tooting A&E department will have to deal with specialist incidents from further afield, as the major trauma unit for south London and Surrey.

Dr Husain said: "We cope quite well, we normally do.

"We are fully staffed and having two consultants is a great benefit."

A non-drinker himself, Dr Husain said alcohol-related issues can frustrate him and other members of the team, though it would never affect the way they treat a patient.

He said: "It does wear you out a little bit.

"You cannot allow it to get to you or pre-judge a patient based on why they are there.

"The vast majority of people can go out and have a good time without ending up in hospital.

"Although I don't drink, which is a personal choice, I grew up in the UK and went to medical school with people who would go out drinking and we never ended up in A&E.

"We are frustrated at people's lack of responsibility.

"Most of the people say you are out having fun and we would much rather be having fun like you are, so it is a reminder of what else is going on."

In their own way, the staff on duty on one of the hospital's busiest nights will still celebrate and bring in the New Year.

Dr Husain said: "There will be food.

"There was so much food over Christmas, and people will bring food in.

"Sometimes we have had people from the community bring food or takeaways in for us.

"We will have a countdown and cheer and hug together at midnight."