(Version one 1.7.98)
Intoduction
The objective of the Alcohol Abuse Recovery Programme which Highland Council has adopted for the staff of the Authority is:-
To provide effective help, treatment and preventative guidance to Employees regarding problems resulting from or relating to the abuse of alcohol.
The policy has been agreed as a joint Trade Union/Management approach and is based on recommendations from the Scottish Council on Alcohol, which have been adjusted to suit the circumstances prevailing within Local Government in the Highland area.
This policy is applicable to all employees of the Highland Council.
Joint Union/Management Approach to Recovery from Alcohol Abuse
The provisions of the policy include:-
- Formal statement of Highland Council policy
- Implementation of procedures agreed with Trade Unions
- Established links with the medical authorities and with appropriate Counselling Agencies
- Educational programme
- Evaluation of results - it is intended that monitoring of the outcomes achieved under the programme will be undertaken biennially in future
The Policy
The chronic abuse of alcohol is recognised by the Highland Council as an area of health and social concern which can definitely and repeatedly interfere with an employee's health and work performance. The following policy has therefore been agreed:
Self-Referral
An employee who suspects or knows that he/she has an alcohol related problem which is impairing his/her health and/or effectiveness at work would be encouraged to seek help and treatment voluntarily through confidential consultation with the Designated Officer within Personnel Services.
Management Referrals
Referrals under this heading may occur as follows:
- Concerned Management Referral
- In instances where concerned Management or Trade Unions have reason to believe that the employee has an alcohol related problem, although not yet having an adverse effect on performance.
- In this event, the matter will be discussed confidentially with the employee with a view to arranging a Concerned Management Referral outwith the disciplinary process.
- Disciplinary Referral
In circumstances at work which involve a disciplinary aspect, it will be necessary initially to follow the recognised procedure of arranging for consideration of the basic facts of the matter by means of a disciplinary hearing.
If there is an indication during the course of this consideration or at a subsequent stage of the disciplinary procedure, that the underlying cause of the particular situation may be the regular abuse of alcohol, the hearing will be adjourned to permit referral to the Council's Medical Adviser, for confirmatory diagnosis of an alcohol related problem. This procedure should always occur prior to final determination of the disciplinary proceedings.
In the event of the Medical Adviser identifying an alcohol abuse problem, any disciplinary measure subsequently identified will require to be linked to a further referral to the Medical Adviser to allow an opportunity for recovery under the Council's Alcohol Recovery Programme. The recognised time limits applicable to disciplinary measures would apply throughout this latter procedure.
In the instance of a negative or inconclusive medical report arising from the original referral to the Council's Medical Adviser, normal disciplinary procedures would ensue.
An exception to the above procedure will also occur in respect of particular circumstances of gross misconduct deemed unacceptable by Management (e.g. fraud, theft, assault). In these situations other appropriate disciplinary action will require to be taken.
Treatment
In situations where an employee is accepted into the Alcohol Recovery Programme following confirmatory diagnosis, the following will apply:-
The employee, whilst undergoing treatment, will be considered to be on sick leave if hospitalisation in a specialist care unit is necessary.
Following treatment, every effort will be made to ensure that the employee is able to return to the job, unless a return to that particular job would risk undermining a return to satisfactory work performance in the more general sense. In the latter event, the authority would endeavour to redeploy to work of a more suitable nature, wherever possible. Consultation with the Trade Unions would be a necessary part of this process.
Refusal to Accept Referral for Diagnosis/Treatment
Any employee, who having come to notice as possibly suffering from alcohol related problems, and who declines, despite discussion with Management and Trade Union Officials, to accept a referral for diagnosis and treatment, will be subject to the normal Disciplinary Procedures of the Highland Council.
Recurring Concern Regarding Work Performance
Where an employee returns to employment during or after treatment and where there is further concern, the developing situation would be reappraised by Management, as advised by the Council's Medical Adviser and the Designated Officer. This procedure would also involve consultation as necessary with the appropriate Trade Union.
Isolated Misdemeanour due to Alcohol
The policy does not extend to employees who, through excessive consumption of alcohol on random occasions, behave in a manner contrary to the standards of safety and conduct required by the Highland Council or who commit acts of gross misconduct. Such employees will be subject to the Disciplinary Procedures of the Highland Council.
Policy Administration/Co-ordination
The confidentiality of any records of employees with alcohol related problems will be strictly preserved and the Council's Designated Officer within Personnel Services will be the referral point for all employees with an alcohol problem.
It is recognised that the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol related problems requires particular skills and expertise. The referral of an employee to the Council's Medical Adviser for this purpose will therefore be arranged by the Designated Officer, who will also act in a co-ordinating capacity regarding the after care of the employee.
Procedure
The procedure is as detailed in the attached Appendix `A'.
Appendix `A'
Procedure
Notes
(a) The above procedure for case handling, other than in the instance of self-referral or a concerned management referral is based on "Poor Work Performance", and is therefore initiated within the Disciplinary Procedures. A non-diagnosis, failure to continue with treatment and/or additional poor work performance, results in a referral to the normal Disciplinary Procedures.
(b) Links with Medical Authorities/Counselling Agencies
As is clearly indicated in the Scottish Council on Alcohol Guidelines, the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol abuse problems is not the function of Trade Unions and/or Management, and specialist medical counselling services must therefore be employed to undertake these functions.
(c) Educational Programme
An important element in an Alcohol Recovery Programme is the Educational aspect which is concerned with providing employees with information on the programme and with guidance to management and supervisory staff on the techniques to be used in recognising deteriorating work performance. The Scottish Council on Alcohol recommends that further aspects of the Programme should be associated with alerting employees of the risks which are associated with excessive consumption of alcohol and modifying attitudes towards alcohol abuse