IN THE WAKE OF INCREASING NUMBER OF DRUNKS AND DRUGGIES IN DARWIN I HEREBY CALL FOR A LARGE SIZED DRUG & ALOCHOL TREATMENT HOSPITAL TO BE BUILT ON THE GROUNDS OF DARWIN PRISON

Concerned at the large number of drunks and druggies admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital, I am calling on the NT Government to build a 400 bed alcohol and drug treating hospital to be built on the grounds of Darwin prison at Berrimah or Hotzle.

The reason for the location at Darwin Prison for the alcohol and drug treating hospital, is that the drunks, and druggies and able bodied bludgers would no longer enjoy the luxury of resting up in Royal Darwin Hospital, and the new location at the prison would probably scare future would be drunks and druggies in thinking about taking up the habits.

Should it be built at Darwin Prison, the druggies and drunks receiving treatment would be treated as prisoners like the prison population at the prison rather than hospital patients.  They would also be served with prison food rather than the hospital food as well.

I do not believe for a moment that it is fair that patients with higher needs or higher priorities should have to miss out or wait while the drunks and druggies receive the treatment first at Royal Darwin Hospital.  I don't believe that Royal Darwin Hospital is the right place for drunks and druggies to be treated there.

The staff should include male nurses, doctors and prison officers for male patients only and female nurses, doctors and prison officers for female patients, and the requirement is that staff are supposed to show a uncaring nasty attitide toward the patients at the treating hospital at the prison.

The hospital will include an emergency department, surgical wards, medical wards and a pysch ward. The hospital will be built at the grounds at the Darwin prison.

That is why I have selected the prison as the best location for a future new drug and alcohol treating hospital to be built in a huge bid to reduce the number of drunks and druggies in Darwin.

Ambulances and police would be able to go to the prison to transfer the drunks and druggies to the treating hospital at the prison.  But the "patients" at the drug and alcohol treating hospital would have to make their own transport arrangements when they are discharged as the Darwin bus service has advised me that there are no plans for a bus service to be made to the prison to pick up the "patients" home.

Lastly I feel that a new drug and alcohol treating hospital at Darwin prison would go a long way to reducing the number of drunks and druggies.  It may not happen overnight but it would go a long way to reducing the number of drunks and druggies admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital.

William Walker