British Medical Association warn of growing workplace drug and alcohol use

The British Medical Association (BMA) has published a new guide for businesses: Alcohol, drugs and the workplace: the role of medical professionals. The guide was written to provide medical professionals with a comprehensive guide to the abuse of psychoactive drugs and alcohol and is aimed at healthcare professionals; however, it also provides an excellent resource for business managers and HR departments.

Substance abuse has been shown to reduce workplace productivity and is strongly linked to poor health and chronic disease. The BMA urges employees to provide their staff with access to an occupational health service; however, few actually do so.

Drugs and alcohol kill around 11,000 people every year in the UK. Contrary to popular belief, people who drink frequently are more likely to be in work, with managers and professionals more likely to drink than manual workers and less-skilled staff. The combination of disposable income and workplace stress often results in excessive weekly drinking.

The BMA says that employers need to better understand the implications of substance abuse and that managers should be trained to spot the signs of drug and alcohol misuse.

It is important for employers to have a substance misuse policy in place and to ensure that staff are aware of the terms. When managers confront their staff on the topic, progress can often be made to help to resolve the problems. This is a classic win-win scenario: the manager retains a good employee and the employee receives help and assistance with tackling a problem early before it ruins their career, relationships and health.