Dublin's Mater Hospital recorded a 68% increase in knife-related injuries in its Emergency Department over the past five years, prompting calls from ED doctors for more measures to deal with the issue.
The Irish Association of Emergency Medicine (IAEM) is calling for a focus on prevention and first aid skills, as well as equipment to deal with what it describes as a concerning and urgent issue across the country.
Over the past decade, knife-related crime has been on the rise and while incidents dipped last year, knife injuries are now a regular issue for doctors in emergency departements.
The IAEM has dedicated a major session at its national conference today to knife trauma and the burden it says it is making on the health system.
It said when it comes to knife injuries, most victims and offenders are young men aged between 18 and 34.
The IAEM said in 2023, 65% of assaults causing harm required hospital admission, and 2023 marked the worst year in a decade for hospitalisations following knife injuries, according to the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE).
"Despite these alarming figures, the true extent of the problem may be under-reported. Many patients treated and discharged from Emergency Departments are not captured in national data, masking the real toll of knife violence in communities," the IAEM said.
The session will hear how the use of Bleeding Control Kits, known as KnifeSavers in some UK cities and which are made available in communities like AED devices, are helping to save lives.
Nikhil Misra, a trauma surgeon at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, founded KnifeSavers to educate the public on how to manage life-threatening bleeding in the critical minutes before emergency services arrive.
He said: "It takes just five minutes to bleed to death and ambulances often take seven minutes or more to arrive. The difference between life and death lies with the bystander."
Surgeons in Ireland say they would like to see this measure, and others used in the UK such as mobile Bleeding Control Apps and school and community education programmes, to be introduced in Ireland to deal with what they say is a concerning issue.
Dr Shane Broderick, Consultant in Emergency and Trauma Medicine at the Mater, said: "Knife trauma is not just a policing issue, it's a public health emergency. Early intervention can save lives. We need to ensure bystanders are equipped to act before medical teams arrive."
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