Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 125 of Public Health England's report entitled Dependence and withdrawal associated with some prescribed medicines, published in December 2020, for what reason a helpline or website has not been funded for people who are dependent on prescription drugs.

The 2019 review recommended that the Department consider the development of a time-limited national helpline and associated website. However, the Department’s recent Spending Review settlement did not allow for funding to be allocated to this recommendation.

To support those dependent on prescription medication, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued guidelines on chronic pain and medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms. NHS England is developing a framework to support integrated Care boards on prescribing medicines which can cause dependence and withdrawal. This will inform the development of services which can offer alternatives to medicines and support patients experiencing prescribed drug dependence or withdrawal. The framework is expected to be published in autumn 2022.