GIANT marquees housing field hospitals are set to be erected in city centres across Scotland to cope with binge drinkers and the victims of alcohol-fuelled violence.

The M*A*S*H-style medical units — normally associated with army casualties in far-flung warzones — have been proposed by advisers to the Scottish executive.

The field hospitals are seen as a way of getting drunks off the streets and easing pressure on accident and emergency units, which are often overwhelmed by injured drinkers on Friday and Saturday nights.

Under the plan, doctors and paramedics would staff the tents — equipped with portable toilets, water, trolleys, stretchers and treatment tables — in areas that attract large numbers of late night revellers.

Those who are the worse-for-wear would be assessed and only those with serious injuries requiring x-rays or treatment for internal injuries would be taken to hospital.

The walking wounded would he patched up and held until they were able to be discharged.

Last week, a report published by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland revealed the number of Scots admitted to hospital with serious alcohol-related problems had doubled in the past eight years.

Admissions of severely drunk people to A&E units soared by 40% for men and by nearly a third for women. Many suffer from illnesses such as liver disease, pancreatitis and gullet problems.

Senior police officers warn that relaxed licensing laws, due to come into effect in 2009, could make the situation worse. They fear alcohol-related violence could rise if hundreds of pubs and bars are granted late licenses.

The proposal for field hospitals is being made by an NHS working group, set up to tackle the growing problem of excessive drinking, which will report to ministers next year.

The idea — already tested in Wales — has widespread support as it would free up consultants during busy periods on Friday and Saturday nights to tend to more serious cases.

“We are currently looking at the A&E response to Scotland’s alcohol issue,” said Dr Peter Rice, a psychiatrist from Angus and a member of the working group.

“People with significant injuries or serious problems with conciousness levels would still need the facilities of A&E but there are large numbers of more minor injuries that can be dealt with by field hospitals. It would reduce the number of people being admitted to A&E departments. We have to accept our drinking culture is not going to change quickly.”

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