The role of forensic medical examiners and their attitudes on delivering brief alcohol interventions in police custody

Background: Many drunken detainees are not receiving alcohol treatment, so the forensic medical examiner (FME) might be the only healthcare professional they see. This paper explores the possibility of British FMEs delivering brief alcohol interventions in custody suites.

Method: Twenty-five FMEs and 15 police officers were interviewed, using semistructured interviews and a snowball sampling approach.

Results: The main concerns expressed by FMEs regarding brief alcohol interventions were around role legitimacy, the suitability of the location and the state of the detainee. Several FMEs suggested that all drinkers would benefit from some intervention, especially young binge drinkers, drink drivers and those detained for domestic violence.

Discussion: These findings suggest that FMEs generally require a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of brief interventions, and the wider public health implications of such 'low demand' alcohol interventions.