Basic HTML Version
action
Last month Addiction Dependency
Solutions (ADS) held a seminal event
in parliament,
Addiction to prescription
drugs
, with the Labour shadow health
secretary, Andy Burnham.
The event was a
Question Time
style debate on this topical issue and
consisted of a panel of clinicians,
service users and experts in their
respective fields, with direct
experience of addiction to
prescription drugs and treatment
services.
It was the first time an
event on this issue had
been held in parliament
and marked a momentous
day for many people in the
room who had been
campaigning for many years
for increased awareness of
the debilitating effects of
addiction to prescription
drugs such as
benzodiazepines. Addiction
to these drugs has
devastating and lasting
effects on individuals and
their families, and the
event highlighted the need
for increased provision of direct and
targeted treatment
services for those who are addicted.
Currently, there is little treatment
available for those who suffer from
prescription drug addiction, with only
a handful of services dedicated to
this issue in the UK. As a progressive
charity, ADS aims to represent those
who need help the most. Working
with Oldham PCT and Barry Haslam
of Oldham Tranx (a voluntary support
group for those suffering from
addiction to prescription drugs) ADS
started providing an addiction to
prescription drug service in Oldham in
2004, and – by working with dynamic
commissioners – now provides
another service in Derby that was
recognised as a model of best
practice at the Westminster event.
The event was chaired by Andy
Burnham MP and consisted of a panel
with Lady Rhona Bradley, chief
executive of ADS; Dr James Davies,
lecturer in social anthropology and
psychotherapy at Roehampton
University; Dr Jack Leach, consultant in
substance misuse; Dr Richard Martin,
assistant director of Public Health for
Derby Council; James Sutherland, lead
commissioner for public health for
Derby Council; Barry Haslam, chair of
Oldham Tranx and John, service
member of Oldham Tranx. Each
panellist had time to outline their own
background, experience and views on
addiction to prescription drugs before
the debate was widened, and
questions taken from the floor.
All the panellists were of the
opinion that addiction to prescription
drugs was an issue that had been
buried under the carpet for too long
and agreed that centralised action
was needed on a national scale to
offer guidance and results. Barry
Haslam drew on his own experience
of addiction to prescription drugs,
describing the lack of help he
received and the resultant health
problems he had suffered. This had
spurred him on to campaign
vociferously on the issue for the past
20 years.
One of the most striking
comments of the day came from Dr
James Davies. In discussing how
people were often ‘placed’ on
prescription drugs without getting to
the root of the problem – often as a
result of anxiety and stress – he said:
’Fifteen per cent of the British public
at one time are on some form of
prescription medication as a result of
mental health issues.’ This statistic
highlighted the scale of the problem,
with many of these drugs addictive
within four weeks and resulting in
dependence in as little as six weeks.
The panel’s consensus was shared
by the audience, with questions
reflecting the need for increased
political awareness and action. One
audience member, Dr Malcolm Lader,
drew on years of experience to
highlight the divisive role prescription
drugs were playing in our society, and
called for direct treatment to curb
their long-term ill-effects.
With a member of Public Health
England in attendance, it was left to
Andy Burnham to ask why current
guidelines and protocols for services
for prescription drug addiction were
so weak. The PHE response was, ‘It
is up to local authorities to take
action on the issue following
guidance from Public Health England.’
Andy Burnham responded: ‘That
doesn’t answer the question. Clearly
more needs to be done.’
As panellists drew on their
expertise and personal stories from
the audience mirrored their views,
there was little doubt about the scale
of the problem. Summarising,
Burnham said it was time to take
action on an issue that had been too
long ignored in parliament. As Labour
shadow health secretary, he would
aim to realign health and social care
as part of the NHS.
Lady Rhona Bradley said ADS
would continue to ‘champion a cause
that has clearly affected many in this
country, and an issue that should be
acted upon without haste.’
Tom Whiting is development and
grants officer at ADS
18 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| August 2013
Services |
Prescription drugs
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Through a recent parliamentary debate, ADS brought
together experts to tackle the pervasive problem of
addiction to prescription drugs.
Tom Whiting
reports
Prescription for
’Fifteen per cent of
the British public
at one time are on
some form of
prescription
medication as a
result of mental
health issues.’
DR JAMES DAVIES