Alcohol Policy / Guidelines for Residents and Staff.

This document has been prepared after extensive consultations with service users through residents’ house meetings and the users’ group.

Additionally, consultations have been undertaken with residential staff, team leaders, managers and the director.

Reason for establishing written guidelines:  Request for reconsideration of the alcohol policy from residents and staff.

Purpose of consultations:  To enquire of all concerned their views and encourage a common-sense, practical approach.

Residents...

• It is agreed that residents may purchase and bring alcoholic beverages into the residences.

• It is agreed that residents purchase their own alcoholic beverages.  No alcohol will be purchased from Hayfield funds.

• It is agreed that residents use personal funds to purchase alcohol and not their ‘food allowance’, from Hayfield funds.

• It is agreed that residents on medication, or their representative, must seek medical advice prior to bringing alcoholic beverages into the residence and a medical report must be on file.

• It is agreed that residents with an ‘alcohol problem’ must seek medical advice and discuss the matter with residential staff and managers prior to bringing alcoholic beverages into the residence.

• It is agreed that in a communal living situation, such as the residence, should difficulties arise, as a result of alcohol consumption, that the policy be reviewed.

• It is agreed that if a resident takes advantage of the ability to bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises and regularly becomes intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol in their demeanour, that they will require to discuss the matter with peers, residential staff and managers.

• If the matter cannot be resolved, alcohol may become prohibited for that resident.

• Residents request that alcoholic beverages they purchase should be kept in a lockable place for safe-keeping with only staff having access to keys.

• Residents agree that their consumption of alcoholic beverages be discussed from time to time with their key worker and particularly if there is a change to their circumstances.

• Residents agree that the policy / guidelines be reviewed by all parties concerned after an initial 3 month trial period and thereafter as required, e.g. resident abuse of the policy / guidelines.

• Residents agree that they will adopt at all times a common-sense and practical approach to the issue of alcohol consumption in the residential premises, responding in the same spirit and goodwill of the consultation process.

Staff...

Staff should refer, in the first instance, to the Staff Handbook “Policy and Procedure Concerning Alcohol in the Workplace”.

In addition, staff must adhere to the following guidelines:

• It is agreed that staff are never permitted to consume alcoholic beverages whilst on-duty or on-call.  

• Staff suspected of being intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol will be referred to the on-call person for action and this will include immediately being taken off duty.  The matter will then be discussed with the person at a later date and time.

• It is agreed that staff are not permitted to consume alcoholic beverages 9 hours prior to on-duty or on-call.

• It is agreed that staff will never purchase alcoholic beverages for residents with Hayfield funds.

• It is agreed that on-duty or on-call staff will never purchase alcoholic beverages for residents from staff personal funds.

• It is agreed that staff never bring alcohol onto residential premises.

• Staff agree that they will adopt, at all times, a common-sense approach to the issue of alcohol consumption, responding in the same spirit and goodwill of the consultation process.

January 2009