British Institute of Innkeeping launches national drugs qualification for licensees
27-Jul-2001
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has today [July 27, 2001] launched the Licensee’s National Drugs Certificate (LNDC) – a qualification aimed at ensuring licensees know the law, what to look for, and have strategies to deal with any problems that may arise in relation to drugs.
The qualification, which is awarded in collaboration with City & Guilds and the Hospitality Awarding Body, was developed in response to a requirement in the Good Practice Guide published by the Magistrates’ Association and the Justices’ Clerks’ Society. The guide recommends that licensees have knowledge of the prevailing drugs scene.
The LNDC provides licensees and managers of all types of licensed premises, from the small country pub to the inner city club venue, with an awareness of illegal drugs. It provides operational guidelines to help prevent drug problems arising and also tactics to enable licensees to deal with such problems in their premises. At the launch, Angela McGarry of the Magistrates’ Association and Philip Thorley of Kent-based pub company Thorley Taverns, which was involved in piloting the qualification, spoke in support of the LNDC. The BII has also received a letter from Home Secretary David Blunkett welcoming the qualification.
Licensees wishing to sit the qualification can either take a course at a centre accredited by BIIAB, the BII’s wholly-owned awarding body, or just study the LNDC handbook. The examination involves answering 30 multiple-choice questions in 25 minutes. Candidates must get a score of at least 80 per cent to pass.
BII director of qualifications, Cathie Smith, said: “Magistrates often require that licensees have a basic knowledge of drugs, and that knowledge needs to be measured. A nationally recognised qualification, based on a syllabus agreed by all the interested parties, is the only way to do this. The licensed retail sector has also long awaited a qualification of this type to give licensees the confidence to deal with drug-related problems through a national standard.
“Our drugs qualification will ensure that licensees can not only recognise drugs and know the law, but also help them reduce the potential for drug abuse in their outlets, and deal with any incidents that do occur. I’m sure we will see widespread support for the LNDC and hopefully it will result in an even better relationship between licensees and the police when dealing with drug-related problems – partnership is a theme throughout the LNDC.”
| ref | GW/BII/PR0288 |
| pr@bii.org | |
| Contact | Anyone wishing to take the LNDC should contact the BII o 01276 684449, or by e-mail at info@bii.org. For any other information, please contact Erica Snedker, Communications Executive on 01276 417805 or Georgina Wald on 01276 684449. |
