Emergency department staff at Ballarat Health Services have seen it all throughout the year, but are bracing for an increase in a few particular medical events.

ED chief Dr Pauline Chapman said power tool injuries, as home owners rush to finish DIY jobs before family arrive, usually spike in the days before Christmas especially when a few drinks have been consumed while the project is underway. Falls from ladders are also more common as houses are being given a thorough clean or being decorated.

“On Christmas Day itself we see injuries from new toys like skateboards, roller skates and trampolines, and there’s always at least one heart attack and a lot of people coming in with indigestion after overindulging.

“What we really hate seeing is trauma. There are so many people travelling so I want everyone to be really careful on the road. It’s that kind of thing that affects us all when there’s tragedy when people are supposed to be getting together with family.”

Boxing Day is one of the busiest of the holiday season with people who are sick and should have come in on Christmas Day but didn’t, and injuries sustained from Christmas presents, injuries and overindulgence.

In the days after Christmas, gastroenteritis is often a problem where food preparation and storage has been inadequate.

The risk of accidental poisoning also increases with regular routines shelved for the holidays and house guests arriving who may have medications that get left in reach of young children.

“Everyone gets out and gives the house a really good spring clean, so make sure you put chemicals away again as we occasionally see poisonings either from cleaning products, or even simple things like Nanna’s medication. A lot of medications are brightly coloured and look like lollies, so must be kept safely,” she said.

Dr Chapman said mental health presentations always rise during the Christmas season, which can prove a tough time for some people both with and without family support.

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“We really encourage people if they are doing it tough to make contact with mental health services, and if they come in we can link them in with those services. We’d rather they come in than self harm.”

Mental health cases often present alongside alcohol and drug issues.

“Whenever there’s alcohol, not just at Christmas, we see a spike in violence and aggression to others in the community and ourselves,” she said. “We would like to put out a plea for people to be patient. We have a fully staffed emergency department over Christmas, we are willing to work and will treat you with respect, as quickly as possible.”

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