Employees get alcohol counselling

Jun 5 2008 by Catherine Mary Evans, Western Mail

COMPANIES in Wales are losing so many working days each year due to alcohol that they are sending employees to rehab.

The effects of problem drinking costs Welsh businesses more than £2bn each year in absence and lowered performance.

With one in 13 people in Wales showing signs of alcohol misuse, the problem is becoming increasingly widespread and the cost of treating the chronic and acute effects is also placing a huge burden on an already overloaded health service.

Now one leading Cardiff-based charity has devised a groundbreaking support programme targeted specifically at employers.

Pen yr Enfys, which specialises in treating and educating people about drug and alcohol abuse, recently completed a pilot scheme for employers who are concerned about the drinking habits of a member of staff.

Trials were so successful that three companies have already signed onto the programme – even though it is not being officially rolled out until September.

Director Steve James explained how employers can spot problems among their own staff and how best to deal with the situation without ending up in a tribunal.

“The trouble with alcohol dependency is that it affects each person differently, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the symptoms will be,” he said.

“As the problem continues, it will start to affect a person’s work sooner or later. Last year in Wales there was a 40% increase in the number of people suffering from alcohol-related illnesses, with over 15,415 people receiving some form of treatment for these issues, so it’s becoming more and more important that employers learn to see the warning signs early and be prepared to handle the problem in an appropriate way.”

Pen yr Enfys, which is part of the Seren Group, has been helping people with alcohol and substance abuse since the 1960s.

But with such problems increasingly resulting in poor performance at work, the charity has created the first assessment and intervention service in Wales that operates exclusively for employers.

“We run two types of course designed to help employers at our centre,” said Mr James.

“The first is an awareness course aimed at both managers and staff and is designed to take a general approach to the subject and teach participants about the detrimental effects of alcohol misuse in an attempt to prevent problems before they start.

“There is also an element that encourages staff to be vigilant in spotting any behavioural changes among their colleagues which may point to an alcohol-related issue.

“The awareness course, targeted exclusively at senior managers, is designed to ensure employers are trained to recognise potential problems with alcohol in relation to their own staff. This course also looks at employer protection in the sense that it is important to formulate an appropriate company policy on this issue to safeguard both the employee and the employer, should a situation arise.”

The intervention service at Pen yr Enfys offers assessment and counselling to help individuals overcome their problems and make a speedy return to work.

The first stage will be an assessment, which involves the employee meeting on a one-to-one basis with a trained counsellor at Pen yr Enfys to identify formally that there is a problem. Once this is confirmed, the individual will enter into a series of counselling sessions which, in some cases, will also involve the employer.

An initial interview, assessment and report will cost £190, although only £20 will be charged if the individual does not agree to an assessment. Subsequent one-to-one counselling sessions cost £50 per session (between six to 10 appointments are usually required).

Francis Beecher, chief executive of homeless charity Llamau, said: “Llamau have used this service to support and assist a staff member. We found the assessment process to be professional, confidential and helpful. I would recommend this service to other organisations and their staff.”

Although a worker may initially agree to cooperate for fear of losing his or her job, Mr James said they must accept there is a problem for the intervention process to be successful.

“Probably the most difficult challenge with someone whose alcohol intake has become problematic is helping them acknowledge that they are drinking an unhealthy amount. In most cases, the individual is the last person to accept this. It is only then that the recovery process can begin,” he said.

“The amount of counselling and treatment a person will require differs with every case.

“We treat some people who require very few sessions before they are on top of the problem and able to return to work as normal. With others it’s a longer process that involves not only one-to-one counselling but also group sessions and, on occasion, the involvement of a medical professional.

“It’s vital that we treat each case on an individual basis, as each person is different and will deal with problems in their own way.

“It’s inevitable that while some of the people we treat will recover completely, others will relapse and require further treatment somewhere down the line.”

Chronic health effects of alcohol include...

Liver cirrhosis
Cancer
Strokes
Pancreatitis
High blood pressure
Fertility problems
Impotence
Neurological disorders
Mental health problems

Guidelines for responsible drinking:
Daily benchmark guide

Men
If you drink between three and four units a day or less, there are no significant risks to your health.
If you regularly drink four or more units a day, there is an increasing risk to your health.

Women
If you drink between two and three units a day or less, there are no significant risks to your health.
If you regularly drink three or more units a day, there is an increasing risk to your health.

One 175ml glass of 12% wine = 2 units
One pint of normal strength lager (3-3.5%) = 2 units
One 275ml bottle of alcopop (5.5%) = 1.5 units
A single (25ml) measure of spirits (40%) = 1 unit

'We must do something about out-of-control drinking'