Pubdate: 10 July 1999 Source: British Medical Journal (UK) Copyright: 1999 by the British Medical Journal. Contact: http://www.bmj.com/ Author: Dafydd Fon Williams DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICIES ARE RARE AT MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN UK The consumption of alcohol and illicit substances is increasing among medical students in the United Kingdom[1] and is also excessive among junior house officers.[2] These findings emphasise the need for a comprehensive approach towards health promotion in medical schools, with locally negotiated and applied drug and alcohol policies being integrated within this approach. The Working Group on the Misuse of Alcohol and Other Drugs by Doctors has recommended that every medical school should have a drug and alcohol policy,[3] and in view of this I attempted to discover the number of such policies that have been implemented in the United Kingdom's medical schools. In May 1998 I wrote to the deans at each of the United Kingdom's 26 medical schools, asking whether a drug and alcohol policy was currently implemented at their medical school. Seventeen responded, six informing me that they had written policies; these policies covered alcohol alone (three medical schools); drugs alone (two); and alcohol and drugs (one). The target population for these policies was almost exclusively medical students. Similar findings were obtained by Bhopal et al in 1994.[4] Three other medical schools stated that they adhered to the guidelines issued in the General Medical Council's document Student Health and Conduct regarding medical students' use of alcohol and other drugs.[5] Although I conducted this study too early to be able to determine the effect of the working group's recommendation regarding drug and alcohol policies at medical schools, the fact that the number of such policies remains low is a cause for concern. It is also worrying that the target population for such policies remains mainly medical students despite the potentially devastating effects that drug and alcohol misuse and dependency may have on the health of all healthcare professionals and on the welfare of their patients. The number of drug and alcohol policies implemented in the United Kingdom's medical schools should be reviewed periodically, and during this evaluation process the target population of such policies must be determined. Further research is needed to determine the quality and effectiveness of drug and alcohol policies in medical schools, with particular reference to the health and wellbeing of their target population. Dafydd Fon Williams, Non-principal general practitioner. 30 Harthill Avenue, Leconfield, East Yorkshire HU17 7LN [1] Webb R, Ashton CH, Kelly P, Kamali F. An update on British medical students' lifestyles. Med Educ 1998; 32: 325-331[Medline]. [2] Birch R, Ashton CH, Kamali F. Alcohol, drinking, illicit drug use, and stress in junior house officers in north-east England. Lancet 1998; 352: 785-786[Medline]. [3] Working Group on the Misuse of Alcohol and Other Drugs by Doctors. The misuse of alcohol and other drugs by doctors. London: BMA , 1998. [4] Bhopal R, White M, Crombie AL. Health policies in British medical schools. BMJ 1994; 308: 1044[Medline]. [5] General Medical Council. Student health and conduct. London: GMC , 1997. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart