§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what initiatives he is taking to ensure that doctors are informed about the problems of drug abuse and its treatment.
§ Mr. John PattenIn accordance with the recommendation in the treatment and rehabilitation report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that a statement of good clinical practice in the treatment of drug misusers should be prepared by an ad hoc body of representatives of the medical profession, a working group has been appointed. We expect them to report in about six months time.
We shall shortly be writing to the appropriate medical professional bodies to ask what action they are taking on the training recommendations in the Report which concern them. A letter from the Chief Medical Officer advising the medical profession of the extension of licensing restrictions to Dipipanone from 1 April 1984 included guidance to doctors currently treating addicts with that preparation.