Health and well-being of staff in substance use services: The case of Scotland

Abstract

Background: Addressing high rates of drug and alcohol mortality requires a sustained commitment to supporting a resilient and skilled substance use workforce. Employee well-being in wider health and social care has been the subject of much empirical research, however there is a dearth of evidence specific to professionals working in substance use services.Methods: Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of publicly-funded drug and alcohol services operating in Scotland during autumn 2021. Nested semi-log regression models estimated the associations between workplace characteristics and workforce composition, and the main outcome measure: non-Covid sickness absence. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: 88 services, representing 43% of Scotland's drug and alcohol services, were included in the study. Factors significantly and positively associated with non-Covid sickness absence in multivariable analysis included average caseload per whole-time equivalent and number of whole-time equivalent clinical roles. Descriptive statistics show that vacancy rates and caseloads are comparatively higher in statutory services, and are also higher for clinical than non-clinical positions.Conclusion: This study revealed that and burnout leading to sickness absence are serious issues for frontline staff in drug and alcohol services, and these worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research provides a foundation for validating the current findings via future large-scale longitudinal studies, and improving the well-being of people delivering health and social care services in substance use settings.