Addressing benzodiazepine dependence in substance misuse

Abstract

Benzodiazepines dependency is a particular problem for GPs in primary care in the UK. Since the prevalence of prescribing drugs such as temezepam and diazepam was high in the 1970s and 1980s, this prescribing has led some people to become dependent on these medications. Since the establishment of drug services across the UK, there has been a focus to try and address this problem. However, in drug services most specialist centres are reluctant to try and treat this cohort of patient's—mainly because there is no clear funding for this provision. In Islington, London, the local primary care service has attempted to address this, and developed workable guidelines for drug services and primary care from national and local resources. This article explains the rationale and procedure to treat benzodiazepine dependence and the need for auditing this guideline to update and make it relevant for today's services in Islington. It is hoped this article shows the need to develop guidelines for treatment in this area, and the need to audit and update guidelines to make them applicable, therefore illustrating the fact it has a wider relevance then a localised study and should be viewed by a wider audience.