Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the NHS guidelines are for rates of withdrawal for prescription drug addiction.

There are no specific National Health Service guidelines that cover withdrawal from prescription drugs in general. However the recently-updated National Clinical Guidelines for Drug Misuse and dependence has specific guidance about pharmacological management of dependence on benzodiazepines and z-drugs, including prescribing regimens, detoxification, adjunctive therapies and monitoring. The guidelines are available at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/628634/clinical_guidelines_2017.pdf (starts at page 119)

Addiction to prescribed and over the counter medicines is a concern and it is essential that people only take these medicines in accordance with advice from a health professional. People who feel that they might be dependent on either prescribed or over the counter medicines should seek help from a health professional in the first instance (such as a general practitioner or pharmacist).

Local authorities are supported by Public Health England to develop tailored responses to existing and emerging drug misuse in their area and, in conjunction with the NHS, to address specific concerns about addiction to prescribed and over the counter medicines.