Alcohol and substance misuse
Alcohol and other drug misuse, sometimes also known as substance abuse, is when someone's drinking or drug use becomes problematic, harmful, or dependent. 'Problematic, harmful, or dependent' means when someone is putting themselves or others in danger.
Alcohol misuse is a pattern of drinking that results in harm to one’s health, interpersonal relationships or ability to work. Alcohol dependence, also known as alcohol addiction and alcoholism, is a chronic disease and is associated with experiencing withdrawal symptoms, loss of control, or alcohol tolerance.
Substance misuse is the use of alcohol, illegal drugs, or over-the-counter or prescription medications in a way that they are not meant to be used and could be harmful to you or others around you. People can misuse substances one time, occasionally, or regularly, and they can go on to develop substance use disorder.
Addiction
Swansea Bay UHB has a dedicated site providing support for people with addiction issues on its Wellbeing page.
Follow the link for SBUHB's pages providing addiction support
Policy on alcohol and substance misuse by employees
Swansea Bay UHB has an alcohol, drug and substance misuse policy.
Follow the link for the Health Board's policy
Managing drug and alcohol misuse at work
The Health and Safety Executive has a list of useful specialist drug and alcohol organisations which can provide support
Follow the link for the HSE list of specialist drug and alcohol support organisations
Health assessments
If the General Medical Council receives concerns about your physical or mental health, either from yourself, your employer or during the course of an investigation, you may be asked to take a health assessment.
Find out more about GMC health assessments here
Sick Doctors Trust
The Trust provides a 24 hour helpline to support doctors, dentists, medical and dental students who think they may have a problem. They facilitate introduction to other doctors & dentists who are in recovery from active addiction and can give advice on adopting a lifestyle that will minimise the chances of relapse.
Follow this link to the Sick Doctors Trust
EMRTS staff can also access health board resources:
https://nhswales365.sharepoint.com/sites/SBU_StaffHealthandWellbeing/SitePages/Substance-issues.aspx