HC Deb 08 November 1989 vol 159 cc683-5W
Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health following the publication of the findings by the Association of Health Councils for England and Wales, if he will institute research to ascertain why tranquillisers are prescribed in connection with physical illness and as to whether guidelines should be issued on the management of different conditions which could avoid the use of benzodiazepines; and if he will take steps to institute a practice policy on repeat prescribing involving frequent monitoring and review.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We share the association's concern about inappropriate prescribing of benzodiazepines. It is a matter for clinical judgment whether a patient with a physical illness needs to be treated with a benzodiazepine drug either to treat the physical symptoms themselves or in addition to a drug or drugs to treat such symptoms. Doctors already have all the guidance they need about the use of benzodiazepines.

From April 1990 under our proposals in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health" it will be a responsibility of family practitioner committees to encourage the development of repeat prescribing control systems in those practices that do not already have such a system.

Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the findings by the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales published in "Health News Briefing—Benzodiazepines: A Suitable Case for Treatment", on numbers of people taking benzodiazepines and the reasons for the prescriptions being made.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The association's report acknowledges that the number of people taking benzodiazepines and all the reasons for prescriptions are unclear. In 1988 in Great Britain the number of prescriptions for these drugs fell by 9 per cent. from 25.5 million in 1987 to 23.2 million. This is a reduction of nearly 25 per cent. since 1979, when 30.9 million prescriptions were written.

I share the association's conclusion that benzodiazepine prescribing could be further reduced.

Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess whether the findings by the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales suggest that inappropriate long-term prescribing of benzodiazepines comes to an end and as to whether benzodiazepone prescribing for(a) women and (b) the elderly constitutes a disproportionate percentage of all benzodiazepine prescribing; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Information is not collected centrally about the numbers or types of patients prescribed drugs.

Advice has been issued to doctors by the Committee on Safety of Medicines, the Royal College of Physicians. psychiatrists and general practitioners and the British Medical Association. This advice, contained in the "British National Formulary", addressed appropriate use of benzodiazepines and strategies for reducing long-term prescribing, including prescribing for women and for the elderly. We support that advice.

Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidelines to hospitals to take account of the findings by the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales on benzodiazepine use.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The use of benzodiazepines in the treatment of a patient is a matter of clinical judgment, and therefore a matter for the clinician and the patient concerned to decide in any individual case. Some hospitals have already established their own drug formularies and we welcome this move.

Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the advice given to doctors in the Committee on Safety of Medicines bulletin "Current Problems, No. 21", January 1988, in the light of the findings of the Association of Community Health Councils of England and Wales.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The advice on benzodiazepines, dependence and withdrawal symptoms published in "Current Problems No. 21" remains valid and is summarised in the latest edition of the "British National Formulary" which the Department issues free to all doctors.