AIBU to ask about confidentiality

[SoyaCoconutOrAlmond]

DH is an addict. Has been for a while. He managed to stop through sheer willpower and started again.

Clearly he needs professional help. Problem is he works for the NHS and people have been suspended/struck off for being addicted .

Is there any way he can obtain professional support without it compromising his career?

I agree other all the others. Addiction per se is not a problem. I have worked alongside anaesthetic colleagues who have had opioid addiction issues in the past. We handle these drugs routinely, it would be easy to divert some.

Where the problems arise is if people aren't honest - the GMc can takes avery dimview of that and of osie who lose insight into the issues (esp. Patient safety ones) that may arise. I can't imagine any of theother regulators are different.

He needs to seek professional support and inform his line manager and professional body. He will probably be referred to OH.

Yes SoyaCoconutOrAlmond it has to come from him but as long as you are smoothing everything over and minimising the situation then it never will!

My GP gave me excellent advice which I will share with you - that I needed to confront him with the situation and tell him he had to go to rehab - not because I wanted to, or tgat it was an easy thing to do but because it was the right thing to do and that in years to come I needed to be able to look my kids in the eye and say I did everything I could.

Yes, do you stop driving every time you take a paraceatamol? I don't.

Believe me ollycat Jesus Christ himself wouldn't be able to make that man do anything he didn't want to.

But what Hulder says IS true, OP. Direct personal experience here of someone close to me being struck off because they failed to disclose to Occupational Health. There will be no second chances when it comes to light.

Does he work with patients?

Yes, he does. I'll give those links a try tomorrow. Thanks again. X

Unsure what tge relevance of your paracetamol comment is?

If he's stealing medication from work (propofol? part used fentanyl amps?) that will be treated with utmost seriousness.
Also is he ever under the influence at work?
On a come down or distracted by craving?
Those are questions that will be asked and he needs to think carefully about how he responds. He should seek advice from his union.

You have serious denial issues OP, and because of them you're facilitating his addiction. I think you need to get your head out the sand and start getting harsh with this.

I can't believe you actually let your children in a car with someone under he influence of drugs. If SS were to find that out you'd be at serious risk regarding your children - you are not capable of keeping them safe whilst this is your judgement.

I think OP is getting a bit of a hard time here. Her DH hasn't asked for, and won't take, any advice so bombarding OP isn't going to help. She's clearly stated the situation and at present, he's not going to speak to work.

I think rehab, ideally abroad, is a great idea OP. Is it a financial/ logistic possibility?

The driving thing really depends what he has been taking i guess? It may be a co-codamol addiction - legal to buy and take and probably okay for driving too.

OP please read through your posts and seriously consider tge situation.

You need to stop him having contact with patients and you need to do tgat immediately.

You need to get him to seek help. If he won't do that by himself you must force tge situation.

If you don't do this then you are complicit with him in any accident which happens.

Thanks, insta, it wouldn't be easy but I think it would be for the best.

Blue, yes, indeedy

If he is a nurse or midwife there is help out there.

Make sure he is a member of his relevant union.

1. Meet with union rep (request regional officer if local reps are a bit shit).
2. Tell them everything. They will have heard worse, trust me.
3. Arrange meeting with line manager/Matron & ask for HR to be there - take union rep.
4. Await occy health referral to addiction service.
5. Access unions benevolent fund when full pay stops.

If he is caught at work it's likely to be instant dismissal. If he goes and asks for help it's actually quite hard to dismiss him.

If he is a medic the above applies but like a PP said there are specialist services available. It is not uncommon for this to happen.

You have my utmost sympathy - but stop sanctioning this & protect your children.

Op I'm an NHS manager. If one of my doctors disclosed an addiction to me I would move heaven and earth to a) get them the help they need and b) keep them in the job they trained for.
If I found out somebody had an addiction they hadn't disclosed and hadn't sought help for then all I would be able to do is report it and watch their career burn.
I suspect your husband has taken meds from work. That's why he stopped when on leave and that's why he doesn't want to seek help.

Yes, do you stop driving every time you take a paraceatamol? I don't.

So is he addicted to paracetamol?

Driving on high doses of codeine is really not ok. Neither is working with patients.

He hasn't. He planned to Coke off when on leave because things like lack of sleep wouldn't be so catastrophic.

*come

He's not reading the thread. He's not going to stop driving / report himself because mumsnet want him to. OP is asking for help (and I have to say, being very patient and graceful with some of these posts) not him

It’s illegal in England and Wales to drive with legal drugs in your body if it impairs your driving.
It’s an offence to drive if you have over the specified limits of certain drugs in your blood and you haven’t been prescribed them.
Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:
• amphetamine, eg dexamphetamine or selegiline
• clonazepam
• diazepam
• flunitrazepam
• lorazepam
• methadone
• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs, eg codeine, tramadol or fentanyl
• oxazepam
• temazepam
You can drive after taking these drugs if:
• you’ve been prescribed them and followed advice on how to take them by a healthcare professional
• they aren’t causing you to be unfit to drive even if you’re above the specified limits
www.gov.uk/drug-driving-law

Actually, if he is registered with a professional body driving under the influence can also result in being struck off if he is caught as it's a reportable offence.

There is help for professionals which is confidential and does not lead to them losing jobs but ensures they get adequate support and supervision. A friend of mine had an issue and got help via the BMA and the Royal College for their speciality

Op you need to remember he's an addict. You can't trust what he tells you and what he describes as his motives. I know that s horrible to hear about your husband but you can't trust him and it's wrong that patients are trusting him whilst he remains untreated.

Any local drug and alcohol service would not necessarily report a codeine addiction to an employer. It's very common, for healthcare professionals, to use substances inappropriately and form addictions. What really is not ok is to continue practising whilst putting your patients at risk and not disclosing the problem. Because if he caught doing that there would be a very serious problem.