Abstract
Sir : We were interested to read Williams & Cohen's ( Psychiatric Bulletin , February 2000, 24 , 43-46) reminder of the difficulties for front-line staff in managing the problem of illicit drug use in mental health units. They suggest that “clear procedures to control substance misuse are
Highlights
Sir: Illicit drug use is endemic in our society, and in our hospitals
Sir: We were interested to read Williams & Cohen's (Psychiatric Bulletin, February 2000, 24, 43--46) reminder of the difficulties for front-line staff in managing the problem of illicit drug use in mental health units. They suggest thatclear procedures to control substance misuse are necessary . . . for the legal protection of staff'' in addition to policies covering patient and visitor searches, consultation with local police andhow far can and should confidentiality be protected''. Their comments are pertinent in light of the recent sentencing of two Cambridgeshire hostel workers to four and five years' imprisonment under thePremises' section of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which makes it a criminal offence for third parties to knowingly permit heroin or cannabis use in their property, in this case a homelessness day centre (The Guardian, 10 December 1999)
Suspected drug dealers were banned from the centre, staff refusal to give the names of alleged drug users to the police on the basis of confidentiality was seen asdeliberately obstructive' behaviour
Summary
Sir: We were interested to read Williams & Cohen's (Psychiatric Bulletin, February 2000, 24, 43--46) reminder of the difficulties for front-line staff in managing the problem of illicit drug use in mental health units. They suggest that`clear procedures to control substance misuse are necessary . For the legal protection of staff'' in addition to policies covering patient and visitor searches, consultation with local police and`how far can and should confidentiality be protected'' Their comments are pertinent in light of the recent sentencing of two Cambridgeshire hostel workers to four and five years' imprisonment under thePremises' section of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which makes it a criminal offence for third parties to knowingly permit heroin or cannabis use in their property, in this case a homelessness day centre (The Guardian, 10 December 1999).
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