Oral Fluid Drug Testing Methods

Rail Industry

In response to proposals some few years ago for the use of mouth swabs to collect oral fluid for drug screening purposes, the RMT called upon the rail industry to commission independent research to evaluate the various drug testing methods.

Drug testing kits in the UK has mainly been undertaken using urine, hair and saliva swabs.   An innovative new diagnostic test is set to revolutionise drug testing kits.

Orascan® a dignified and reliable drug test.

MHS has introduced the new Orascan® oral fluid drug test that can detect all main drug groups by a simple mouth wash.

Although most salvia swabs reduce the embarrassment of the time consuming and invasive urine drug tests they can create problems of having to collect saliva samples from two different sites in the mouth.

Arguably, because there are two drug test samples taken from different sites in the mouth, they cannot be considered as a single divided A and B samples, which is a best practice requirement and theoretically could provide two different results.

The advantage of the Orascan® drug testing device is that it only collects one sample from the mouth.  That sample is then divided into two A and B samples which will provide identical results.

Orascan ® Drug Testing Kits

The Orascan® drug sample collection kit consist of a vial of non-toxic liquid, a cup and two vacum tubes that divide the sample for analysis. The whole process takes only a few minutes.  No toilets or complicated equipment. Orascan leaflet info

Orascan®) has been launched in the UK and has already sold in large volumes to workplace and clinical settings.

MHS medical screening services are available to all Merchant Navy and Offshore Mariners including oil rigs and wind turbine personnel in UK ports.  A rapid response, on-site medical screening service, ensures a minimum of delay in port.

Merchant sea men medicals

Marine & Offshore Medical Screening

MHS provides a rapid medical screening service at cost effective prices for a range of infectious diseases and substance misuse.  We are a UKAS accredited company using CE marked diagnostic tests.

Wind farm personnel

Workplace Drug & Alcohol testing for mariners

Drug and alcohol abuse is a particular safety critical risk in the marine industry.  MHS provides drug and alcohol testing to the marine industry and offshore industries.  Tests for drugs and alcohol and infectious diseases can be undertaken on-site in the port or on board the vessel.  The whole process can be tailored to include a rapid, low cost package that includes nurses fees, travel, documentation and laboratory services where appropriate.

Drug and alcohol screening for offshore personnel

MHS provides a rapid, cost effective medical screening service for oil rig personnel and wind farm employees.  We offer the very latest drug and alcohol screening services along with advanced medical screening technology.

Oil Rig personnel are subject to some of the most rigorous health and safety regulations including:-

1. The Offshore Installation (Safety Case) Regulations 1992
2. The Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995
3. The Offshore Installation and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995 –
4. The Offshore Installations and Wells (Design and Construction, etc) Regulations 1996
5. The Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
6. Noise at Work Regulations 1989 and the
7. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 has particular relevance in ensuring that employees are not under the influence of illegal substances.

MHS is the leading UK marine drug testing company that provides bespoke solutions for offshore companies.

National call center 0845 873 9602

Mhs is the UK’s leading authority on drug testing.

Drugalyser® technology means that police officers will no longer have to wait for a police surgeon in order to obtain a blood sample for laboratory analysis.

A ten minute point of care drugalyser test will indicate whether an illicit has  been identified.  The sample can then be sent off for further laboratory confirmation analysis.

The first drugalyser® devices are due to be in place within months as part of the Government’s clampdown on drug-driving.

Road safety minister Mike Penning said: “It is vital that the police have the tools they need to tackle those who drive while impaired by drugs.

“This equipment will make it easier for the police to prosecute the irresponsible minority who put the lives of the law-abiding majority at risk.”

By the end of September, the Home Office expects to issue manufacturers with a final draft specification for devices paving the way for tests to take place, initially in police stations.

The Canabis Challenge

Current scientific consensus suggests that ‘POC’ (Point of care) immunoassay technology has problems in meaningfully detecting these psychoactive THC metabolites in oral fluid after being ingested.   Without a device to detect cannabis at a ‘reasonable’ level there is little point in testing drivers for drugs when their main drug of choice is in fact cannabis.

Despite various exaggerated claims there are very few roadside drug testing devices that can meet the ‘Cananbis challenge’

‘The detection of marijuana use in oral fluid appears to be especially difficult.  Marijuana is the most widely abused drug in the United States and for most testing applications [e.g. workplace, criminal justice, drugs/driving etc.] the ability to detect recent marijuana use is critical.  This evaluation clearly shows that these POC oral fluid testing devices are not capable of detecting delta-9-THC at levels that are meaningful.  Based on available literature, detecting delta-9-THC at 50 ng/mL or greater would provide an extremely short window of detection [e.g. less than one hour].  In the marketing materials for these devices, all of the manufacturers claim they can detect marijuana at low levels [e.g. 6-15 ng/mL].  However, these claims appear to refer to the ability to detect THC-acid  [THC-COOH], which is the principal metabolite of delta-9-THC.  Our evaluation has demonstrated that, indeed, these devices can detect the THC-acid, which is an important factor in detecting marijuana use in urine, but this is particularly misleading as the literature indicates that the THC-acid metabolite is not present in the oral fluid of a marijuana smoker.’

Walsh Report August 2003 (An Evaluation of oral fluid point of collection testing devices)

2. R.S Niedbala, K.W. Kardos, D.F. Fritch, S. Kardos, T. Fries, J. Waga, J. Robb, and E.J. Cone. Detection of marijuana use by oral fluid and urine analysis following single-dose administration of smoked and oral marijuana. J. Anal. Toxicol. 25: 289–303 (2001).
3. E.A. Kolbrich, I. Kim, A.J. Barnes, E.T. Moolchan, L. Wilson, G.A. Cooper, C. Reid, D. Baldwin, C.W. Hand, and M.A. Huestis. Cozart RapiScan Oral Fluid drugs testing systems an evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency for cocaine detection compared with ELISA and GC–MS following controlled cocaine administration. J. Anal. Toxicol. 27: 407–411 (2003).
4. K.F. Buechler, S. Moi, B. Noar, D. McGrath, J. Villela, M. Clancy, A. Shenhav, A. Colleymore, G. Valkirs, T. Lee. Simultaneous detection of seven drugs of abuse by the Triage panel for drugs of abuse. Clin. Chem. 38(9): 1678–1684 (1992).

Drugalyser Meets the challenge.

However the detection of the recent use of Cannabis in oral fluid has now become more effective with the recently launched drugalyser® technology from MHS which has overcome these difficulties by the use of clever built-in chemical technology.  Unlike some other POC immunoassay drug testing products this new device is capable of not only detecting most major illegal drug groups but also detecting the recent smoking of cannabis at meaningful levels by detecting the parent drug in the recesses of the mouth.

The whole Drugalyser® process can be completed within 10 minutes in a two-step, simple, on-site process.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Motorists who drive while under the influence of drugs are a menace to the roads and we have already given the police powers to test drivers for signs of impairment.

“We also want them to be able to test drivers for drugs in their system. By the end of September we aim to have issued a final draft specification for a testing device, setting out the drugs we want to detect. As soon as manufacturers have produced devices that satisfy our specification, we will approve them for police to use.”

The Drugalyser® is a registered trade mark for Mhs technology that measures drugs in oral fluid at extremely sensitive levels.

The Drugalyser® offers cut-off levels that are ‘fit for purpose’ and able to meet the challenging standards being set by UK Government.

The so called legal high has now been classified as an illegal drug.

From the 23rd July 2010, naphyrone (aka NRG-1, Energy-1 or Rave) and related compounds were classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a class B drugs.  It is now illegal to possess, give away or sell naphyrone.

The offence of possession carries up to five years in jail. Supplying carries a maximum sentence of up to fourteen years in jail and an unlimited fine.

What is Naphyrone?

Naphyrone is a stimulant drug closely related to ‘cathinone derivatives’ including mephedrone. This is a group of drugs that are related to the family of amphetamine compounds which include amphetamine itself (speed), methamphetamine and ecstasy (MDMA), among many others.

Previously it was known as a ‘legal high’ and sold online, often as research chemicals, plant food, bath crystals or pond cleaner.

Naphyrone shares similar effects to other cathinones: euphoria, talkativeness, alertness and feelings of empathy.

What is Naphyrone now classified as?

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, it is now classified as Class B drug group which follows a recommendation from an independent body of experts, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD).

The high potency of naphyrone by comparison with other cathinones like mephedrone suggests that it is likely to be associated with a higher risk of accidental overdose. It is also thought that the use of naphyrone could:
•    have an adverse effect on the heart and blood vessels
•    bring on hyperthermia
•    impact adversely on mental health causing anxiety and psychosis
•    lead to psychological dependence

The chemical nature of such substances would likely have a detrimental effect on employees particularly in the safety critical sectors.

Workplace drug testing procedures by MHS will be able to detect this substance through laboratory analysis.

Dozens of people have died from an outbreak of dengue fever in the Dominican Republic which is  feared could reach epidemic proportions. Peutro Rico also say they are facing the worst outbreak in more than 10 years.    The increase is blamed on the warm weather and rainy conditions which has produced an explosion of mosquitoes. Dengue fever is prevalent throughout the tropics with outbreaks reported in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cuba, and Central America. Contagious cases have also been imported via tourists returning from infected areas such as Tahiti, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, the West Indies, India, and the Middle East. According to the World Health Organization, there are an estimated 50 million cases of dengue fever with 500,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever requiring hospitalization each year. Nearly 40% of the world’s population lives in an area endemic with dengue. Denue fever has infected people world wide with varying degrees of seriousness

Dengue fever rapid blood test

Rapid blood test

It is essential to detect and identify the infection so that treatment may be started without delay. MHS has developed a rapid point of care test to detect dengue fever by a simple point of care blood test taking approximately 10 minutes. Call our national help line for further information:

National call center 0845 873 9602

Couples having IVF treatment are told smoking can cut success rates.

Dutch researchers, from 12 hospitals across the Netherlands, looked at data for 8,457 women who had undergone one cycle of IVF treatment between 1983 and 1995.  All had being trying to become pregnant for at least a year.

Older women had lower IVF success rates no matter what the cause of their fertility problems was.  The live birth rate for smokers was 28% lower than non-smokers.   Among women with unexplained subfertility, the live birth rate was a third lower for smokers, at 13% compared to 20% for non-smokers.The miscarriage risk was a fifth higher for smokers in this group compared to non-smokers, at 21.4% compared to 16.4%.

A UK expert said being able to say by how much might encourage more to quit.   Mr Les Vasey a Consultant with MHS warned that smoking could add 10 years to a woman’s reproductive age, whatever age she actually is.

He said ’It is already well known that smoking affected female natural fertility as well as posing a serious health risk to other biological functions’

Cotinine testing of patients

IVF treatment services are being encouraged to undertake cotinine testing on patients prior to and during IVF treatment to estimate risk factors.   ‘There is good evidence previously published in the BMJ that Nicoscreen® Cotinine tests provide positive therapeutic benefits by providing bi-feedback to the smokers involved.  This has produced a significant 17% benefit in smoking cessation programmes.’ said expert Les Vasey

Mr Vasey went on to say, ’The therapeutic benefits of testing has been understood by practitioners in the field of drug addiction for a number of years.  Nicotine addiction can be tackled in similar ways for nicotine dependent patients.’’  Working with the IVF clinicians to evaluate the cotinine levels being detected is an effect method of managing smoking reduction’

Professor Didi Braat from Radbound University, who worked on the study, said: “Smoking has a devastating impact.” But she added: “This also indicates that subfertile couples may help their chances of successful treatment by life-style changes.

“As the effects of smoking and being overweight were greatest among women with unexplained subfertility, these results suggest that this group in particular may be able to improve the outcome of subfertility treatment by quitting smoking and losing weight.”

Dr Simon Fishel, a specialist at the UK’s Care in the Park fertility clinics, said: “We know that smoking reduces a woman’s chance of having a live birth and of getting pregnant, and 10 years sounds about right in terms of quantifying the effect.

“One thing couples know is that age is a significant factor in IVF success.

“So if you say to them that by smoking, they give themselves the same chance of success as if they were 10 years older, it brings home to them the effect the habit has.”

Why use a blood test?

The information that can be gathered from blood test is unique in assessing health conditions and lifestyle information.   A key area is in the assessment of alcohol use.  Certain key markers only found in blood can provide essential information particularly valuable to legal services when seeking to provide proof of alcohol misuse or abstinence in individual clients.

Although alcohol markers can now be found in hair a more precise measurement is only measureable in blood.

How is a blood sample collected?

MHS provides a UK team of qualified phlebotomists who can quickly secure a sample for testing taken either from a vein (which carries blood to the heart) or from an artery (which takes blood away from the heart).

We usually collect samples from veins, commonly from those around the elbow. A cord (tourniquet) is tied around the upper arm to make the vein prominent   The site of the extraction is then cleaned and then a needle is put into the vein.   The needle and vacutainer are used to collect the small amount of blood needed for analysis. which is then  sent to the laboratory for analysis.

What does a blood test tell about alcohol use?

Blood Testing for Alcohol Abuse

Background

Alcohol, despite being legal and widely available, is recognised as one of the most harmful of the drugs of abuse. Excessive use has a dramatic impact on a person’s social responsibility and behaviour.

Assessing impairment due to alcohol use is relatively simple using a breathalyser, which estimates how much alcohol is present in the blood; the more alcohol the more impairment. However finding a diagnostic test to determine if alcohol use is a chronic problem, causing deterioration in social responsibility, is a much more difficult challenge technically and practically.

However because alcohol only remains for up to 36 hours in the blood following even high levels of consumption and as such testing for alcohol is worthless in trying to establish a history of longer than 1 or 2 days. Several different tests are available to help determine if there has been excessive drinking historically, but unfortunately none of these tests independently, can answer this question reliably.

Through extensive research and development by MHS we are now a lot closer to providing the answers you need. Results derived from a menu of tests produce a more accurate and reliable assessment of alcohol abuse. To improve the utility of this information, MHS present a full synopsis and interpretation of all results in a concise report that is easy to understand. This ensures that the decisions made by the court are based on the best scientific evidence available, providing greater assurance that the right decisions are made.

Comprehensive range of blood tests for health screening

MHS provides a bespoke blood sample and laboratory service for a wide range of medical needs.

Blood sample leaflet

Which Tests to use?

Summary Guidelines

To assess whether there has been chronic alcohol abuse over a period of 3 or more months then our guidelines are as follows:

Minimum Testing – Standard Alcohol Blood Test

Preferred Testing – Standard Alcohol Test combined with the EtG Hair Test (assuming more than 3cm of hair is available).

Optimal Testing – Standard Alcohol Test with the EtG Hair Test performed each month for the period required (5 tests to cover a 6 month period) with the inclusion of an EtG Urine Test when the last test in the series is ordered.

Questions Answered

In child protection cases there appear to be three key questions that need answering with regards alcohol abuse (please tell us if you have others), firstly: -

1. Is the parent or guardian regularly drinking

excessive amounts of alcohol?

To answer this question MHS recommend a combination of three tests on a single sample of blood. These tests are labelled LFT, CDT and GGT-CDTr(unique to MHS). MHS refer to this profile of tests as the Standard Alcohol Test. The results of this test profile are combined and the calculations derived from them provide an accurate and reliable method to identify excessive drinking patterns over the previous month.

The LFT component also provides some supporting evidence to the second question, which is: -

2. Is there any evidence to support a long history

of alcohol abuse?

The LFT blood test can show prolonged alcohol abuse by identifying impaired function of the liver. Although certain LFT profiles do tend to be more predictive of alcohol use than others, impairment may not be due to alcohol use, (see below). To strengthen the evidence supporting long-term abuse, FTS recommend the addition of a more specific test: the EtG

The amount of history available is however dependent on how long the hair sample is (every one cm providing approximately one months history).

This leaves a possible third question, which is: -

3. If the parent or guardian has a history of alcohol abuse, but claim to have stopped drinking, then have they abstained for long enough to give confidence that they are now fully reformed? This would usually require proof of abstinence for a minimum of three months or better six months.

This can also be answered by using the Standard Blood Alcohol Test, repeated each month for the required period for which you need to show abstinence or responsible drinking behaviour. Furthermore to be sure there hasn’t been a recent relapse (in the last 3 to 5 days) it is also advisable to add an EtG Urine Test on the last of the series of tests. Any recent use would otherwise be missed.

An alternative method would be to carry out a single batch of tests; the Standard Alcohol Blood Test to cover the past 4 weeks history and an EtG Hair Test to provide information on earlier history. However, if less than 3 cm of hair is available, and then the testing needs to be carried out at monthly intervals to complete the period over which abstinence needs to be demonstrated.

So What Do All These Tests Mean?

The tests recommended above are explained individually in more detail below to help you better understand their strengths and weaknesses when selecting them to provide evidence for recent and historical alcohol use.

LFT’s (Liver Function Blood Tests)

The LFT’s are a series of 8 separate blood tests for levels of enzymes and proteins in the blood (Bilirubin, Total Protein, Alk Phos, Globulin, Gamma GT, ALT, AST and Albumin) that shows if there have been any changes to the function and health of the liver.

Alcohol is extremelytoxic at high levels and over time will cause damage to the liver. This damage is detected by changes in the levels of the liver enzymes and proteins listed above, some of which (Gamma GT in particular) being more sensitive to alcohol related damage than others.

Each of these tests has a value and the laboratory provides a ‘normal value’ or ‘reference value’ to the test, which shows whether the test is within the normal range. Abnormal functions are shown by how much they are below or above the normal range.

Usually the liver function test gives an indication of how much the liver is inflamed and possibly either damaged or changed in its ability to function properly. A certain

profile of raised levels may be indicative of regular and heavy use of alcohol, however these are not necessarily specific to alcohol use.

Raised liver enzymes are none specific markers of liver disease and may be associated with inflammation of the liver due to viral infections (hepatitis), therapeutic drugs or toxins or obstruction to bile flow (cholestasis).

Fatty infiltration of the liver and some rare metabolic disorders may also result in raised liver enzymes. It is important to understand therefore that the LFT’s do come with a “health warning”;

Normal values for LFT’s can vary between men and women, at different times of the day and as you get older. Furthermore ‘abnormal’ liver function test

results are not uncommon in the general population. All of the tests can be affected by disorders and diseases that are unrelated to the use of alcohol.

abnormal LFT’s do not necessarily relate to alcohol abuse and as such we advise caution when interpreting these test results.

Expert interpretation of these tests is absolutely essential to understanding what the results mean and this is provided by FTS. LFT’s are helpful, but only part of the picture. They provide complimentary and supporting evidence to the more specific CDT and EtG Tests.

CDT (Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin) Blood Test

This is a more specific blood test than the LFT’s in assessing alcohol use, however as with LFT’s, other conditions have also been shown to cause abnormal levels of CDT. Transferrin is naturally present in the body for transporting iron in the blood. Alcohol in the blood can damage this Transferrin removing its carbohydrate and changing it to Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin or CDT. The more alcohol we drink the more CDT is produced. However a small amount of CDT can occur naturally in the body and it usually takes several days of alcohol consumption for levels to be raised. Once they have been raised it takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks of abstinence for the levels to return to normal. This makes CDT a very useful test to determine whether regular and excessive amounts of alcohol have been consumed over approximately the past 2 to 3 weeks. Unfortunately it isn’t quite that simple and again, as with LFT’s, caution must be advised when interpreting CDT test results.

CDT concentrations from healthy women are typically higher than those of healthy men. This is because females frequently have sub clinical iron deficiency, which results in higher CDT concentrations. Raised CDT levels are also caused by a number of clinical conditions including biliray cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, end stage liver diseases, cystic fibrosis and CDG syndromes.

There are also several conditions that can affect the sensitivity of CDT as marker of chronic alcohol abuse including age, drinking patterns, body mass,hypertension and smoking.

CDT does however have fewer sources of false positives than the LFT’s and is one of the more specific single laboratory markers of chronic alcohol abuse.

Combining LFT’s with a CDT test increases the level of confidence in results compared to utilising only one test technology in isolation. However, they do still only provide part of the overall picture, and should not be solely relied upon.

GGT-CDTr (Gamma Glutamyltransferase – Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin ratio)

It is now possible to identify alcohol abuse more accurately following the introduction of FTS’s new GGT-CDTr Test. Studies (ref. 1) have shown that an abnormal GGT-CDTr Test gives much greater assurance that an individual is abusing alcohol than combining traditional LFT’s and CDT alone. The sensitivity of GGT-CDTr in correctly classifying heavy drinkers is >90% which is significantly better than using CDT alone at ~65%, GGT ~55%, AST ~45%

and ALT ~50%.

Furthermore unlike the other LFTʼs the sensitivity of GGT-CDTr remains high whether liver disease is present or not. Using the GGT-CDTr Test also provides a longer window of detection, taking up to 5 weeks to normalise compared with 2 to 3 weeks for CDT alone.

EtG Testing (Ethyl glucuronide)

EtG is a direct metabolite of alcohol and is found in blood, urine and hair samples following alcohol consumption. The EtG Urine Test provides a recent history of between 2 to 4 days of alcohol use, unlike the LFT’s, which would not detect recent high levels of use and as such the test is useful in identifying a recent relapse following a period of abstinence.

The EtG Hair Test provides information for a much longer history than urine and can be up to 12 months depending on the length of hair tested (each cm of hair covers approximately a months history). It is important however not to confuse hair testing for alcohol use with drug testing in hair. The source of EtG in hair is less well understood, although it appears that one source is the EtG released in sweat, which contaminates the hair externally.

To find out more about our blood testing service call us now:-

National call centre 0845 873 9602

The package is based on many years of experience working within a multi-disciplinary setting based on tackling substance misuse and risks to children.

Child Protection and Substance Misuse.

Children should be safe and able to develop to their full potential and professionals should be able to assess the hidden harm from alcohol misusing parents.

Professionals working in alcohol / drug treatment services and parenting services have a duty to gather and share information about the family situation.

Where suspicions are aroused there is a need to consider if the child is at any risk.

The normal protocols for child assessment risks indicate what information is required about the child and the child’s carers.

Duty to intervene.

If there is a risk to the child then it may be appropriate for Child Protection Procedures to be implemented.  Whilst it is the Local Authority’s duty under The Children’s Act 1989 to safeguard the welfare of the child all agencies have a duty of care.

Drugs and alcohol misuse

Where drugs or alcohol is an issue child protection procedures must be effective and implemented in a timely but  multi-disciplinary way.

Responsibility for protection of children must be shared across agencies because children are safeguarded only when all relevant agencies and individuals accept responsibility and co-operate with one another.   Often the Police and health professionals hold very relevant information that is often overlooked.

Objective evidence of substance misuse.

Prior to case conferences professionals may where possible, need to gather objective evidence of the levels of alcohol or substances being used by parents/carers.   The nature of addiction is such that very little reliance should be placed on the information provided by the individual under investigation.

Training needs.

There are key training needs which often need to be addressed by relevant agencies to ensure that key professionals have sufficient understanding of what is required.

Specialist training companies such as MHS has years of experience in delivering this form of training.

Substance misuse can be measured very precisely using modern diagnostic technology.  This includes hair and blood analyses conducted by approved laboratories.

We offer a comprehensive range of tools and expertise to provide courts with relevant information and evidence on the suitability or otherwise of allowing child access to parents with previous histories of substance misuse.

Child access

Call us now to find out more:

National call center 0845 873 9602

MHS offers a bespoke drug and alcohol testing service for solicitors,local authorities and legal services. We specialise in providing medical assessments for child access cases.

Measuring alcohol misuse.

A key concern for professionals and courts is how to fairly and accurately measure alcohol misuse when concerns are raised over the fitness of parents to continue to have access to children.  MHS has the most comprehensive and accurate methods of providing this information in the shortest possible time using its comprehensive Alcohol testing service

Child Protection and Substance Misuse.

Children should be safe and able to develop to their full potential and professionals should be able to assess the hidden harm from alcohol misusing parents.

Professionals working in alcohol / drug treatment services and parenting services have a duty to gather and share information about the family situation.

Where suspicions are aroused there is a need to consider if the child is at any risk.

The normal protocols for child assessment risks indicate what information is required about the child and the child’s carers.

Duty to intervene.

If there is a risk to the child then it may be appropriate for Child Protection Procedures to be implemented.  Whilst it is the Local Authority’s duty under The Children’s Act 1989 to safeguard the welfare of the child all agencies have a duty of care.

Where drugs or alcohol is an issue child protection procedures must be effective and implemented in a multi-disciplinary way.

Responsibility for protection of children must be shared across agencies because children are safeguarded only when all relevant agencies and individuals accept responsibility and co-operate with one another.   Often the Police and health professionals hold very relevant information.

Objective evidence of substance misuse.

Prior to case conferences professionals may need to gather objective evidence of the levels of alcohol or substances being used by parents/carers.   The nature of addiction is such that very little reliance should be placed on the information provided by the individual under investigation.

Training needs.

There are key training needs which often need to be addressed by relevant agencies to ensure that key professionals have sufficient understanding of what is required.

Specialist training companies such as MHS has years of experience in delivering this form of training.

Substance/ alcohol misuse can be measured very precisely using modern diagnostic technology.  This includes hair and blood analyses conducted by approved laboratories.

child access

• We are competitively priced UKAS approved drug testing company specialising in legal forensic work.

• We provide laboratory results usually within 4 working days along with a detailed expert witness report in easy to understand language.

• We can collect body hair from most parts of the body.

• We are one of the few UK drug testing companies that have trained nurses and phlebotomists available to obtain blood samples, essential for assessing alcohol misuse.  Alcohol liver function tests.   Because we understand the legal profession we are willing and able to go the extra mile for our clients no matter how complex and challenging the issues may be.
• We are pleased to offer advice on what is achievable in the best interests of your client using the most advanced forensic tools available.
• Please remember we are more than just a rigid laboratory service.  Our aim to offer a UK based one stop solution to the legal profession.
• Call us now for an informal, no obligation chat.  If in the unlikely event that we cannot deliver we will try and find you alternative options.
  

  National call center 0845 873 9602

  

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