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I questionWill's standing as a professional
, if he is having to ask this question. I am
left wondering why he is not doing more to find out if his friend is just boasting,
given that many clients fall into the category of vulnerable adults andWill has a
duty of care to ensure they are not being abused in any form. If his colleague is
abusing or even suspected of abusing his position, report it. If it turns out he is not
a sexual predator, offer him help in his childish pursuit of mindless boasting.
Alan Moore, by email
How destructive could this be?
If the ‘professional’ is having affairs with clients,
how can you say they are being professional in the workplace? I find this really
concerning and entirely unprofessional. Clients are vulnerable and have come
to the service for help, not to be preyed on.
To even consider a relationship, which I’m guessing would be against policy
and procedure anyway, has the potential to be really destructive for the client
on so many levels and would interfere completely with the service being
provided. Also there is the little issue of anonymity if this ‘professional’ is
boasting about their relationships.
This is predatory behaviour and destructive in every way, in this or any other
context. Will should definitely report this issue – it has concern all over it.
Kevin Jaffray, by email
This man sounds abhorrent!
He is clearly in a position of trust and using this to
prey on vulnerable individuals. This type of behaviour is as low as it gets and
probably points to his own inadequacies if he has to strike while his victims
are at their lowest ebb.
You must not hesitate in reporting his behaviour to your manager. You
should also ensure your manager treats this with the seriousness it deserves and
reports the matter to the professional organisations that try and regulate the
treatment industry. We must work together to rid treatment services of
individuals like this, and try and create a safe environment for those who come
to us for help.
Elizabeth Carson, by email
NExt issUE’s qUEstiON...
Can you help out a fellow DDN reader?
I came into the drug and alcohol field because I lost my brother to heroin. But
I’m now finding it very difficult to deal with other people’s problems and my
feelings of vocation have turned to despair. I don’t want to waste my training
and experience – what should I do?
Carol, by email
Email your answers for Carol to claire@cjwellings.com by
Tuesday
29 March
for publication in our next issue. Send any questions you have
about any aspect of your working life or treatment experiences and let our
readers help you out.
7 March 2011 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 27
Q&As |
Parliamentary briefing
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Last issue Will wondered how he should
react to a colleague’s behaviour...
My colleague is professional in the workplace but twice now when he’s been
down the pub I’ve heard him boasting about having affairs with clients.
Should I report him or assume he’s making it up?
Will, by email
Questions
Answers
BACK BY
POPULARDEMAND
!
PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFING
Paul Hines
reports from the latest meeting of
the Cross-Party Group on Drug and Alcohol
Treatment and Harm Reduction
THE CROSS-PARTY GROUP’S ATTENTION
focused on the 2010 Drug Strategy
and the Ministry of Justice green paper on punishment, rehabilitation and
sentencing. While welcoming the ‘whole system’ approach called for by the
former and the emphasis on rehabilitation in the latter, members were
concerned that lack of detail on implementation opened up the risk of
unintended consequences.
Of particular concern was the introduction of payment by results (PbR).
The group appreciated the fact that the government was proceeding with
caution by piloting PbR in a range of localities and was committed to looking
carefully at the outcomes before rolling it out. It was felt that PbR, if crudely
applied, could destroy the voluntary sector if small and medium-sized
providers didn’t have the cash to cover deferred payments, or to cover reduced
payments if targets were not met.
Other possible consequences of the drug strategy discussed included
harm reduction services being targeted for cuts through the misconception
that prescribing was obstructive to recovery. The emphasis on localism raised
the risk of local disinvestment and subsequent reduction in the quantity of
services.
The group’s response to the Ministry of Justice green paper stressed the
need for clarification on how the positive potential of restorative justice,
community payback schemes and ‘working prisons’ was to be realised.
Properly designed and implemented, they could benefit society and offer
offenders a ‘readmission ticket’ into the community; hastily thrown
together or ineptly applied, they could make offenders feel alienated and
more likely to reoffend.
Regarding the consultation paper’s plans to tackle offenders’ drug misuse,
the group wondered how the pilots for drug recovery wings would achieve
better results than those generated by existing drug-free wings. Members
wanted to know how capacity in the treatment systemwould be increased to
cope with people with acute problems being diverted into the community.
The group considered the problem of people leaving the armed
services with drug and alcohol issues. Kent police’s pilot scheme to record
the number of veterans entering the criminal justice system suggested
that their most common offences were violent crimes committed under
the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Members felt that the state should
provide a comprehensive package of care to allow returning service
personnel to adjust to civilian life. It was felt appropriate, given the
requirements of the Armed Forces Bill, that a Cabinet Office minister
should be given specific responsibility for the welfare of current and
former military personnel.
Parliamentarians from the group agreed to raise all the issues discussed
with ministers through meetings and Parliamentary Questions.
Paul Hines works with the Conference Consortium. Cross-party group
briefings, discussion papers and digests can be viewed at
www.conferenceconsortium.org