Tranquillisers

Health written question – answered at on 15 October 2012.

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Photo of Jim Dobbin Jim Dobbin Labour, Heywood and Middleton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health following the delegation of responsibility for his Department's programme of work on addiction to medicines to the National Treatment Agency (NTA), what services will be provided for prescribed tranquilliser addiction; when the starting date will be for provision of such services; whether patients will be able to self-refer for treatment; whether stand-alone prescribed tranquilliser addiction will be treated or whether treatment will only be provided when such addiction occurs in association with other drug misuse; what separate funding has been allocated for the treatment of prescribed addiction; what method of withdrawal from tranquillisers service providers will use; what specialised training will be provided for those delivering tranquilliser withdrawal services; whether such training will be mandatory; whether his Department plans to make an announcement to notify patients that such services have become available; who will provide scientific and medical advice to the NTA on tranquilliser withdrawal; and what plans his Department has for future funding of the Bristol Tranquilliser Project and the Council for Information on Tranquillisers and Antidepressants and its national helpline.

Photo of Anna Soubry Anna Soubry The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health

The Action Plan for 2012-13 for the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) requires it to continue to support the development and delivery of effective local recovery-orientated systems. Such services, which could include provision by the voluntary sector, are commissioned at a local level, and the information requested about them is not collected centrally. The NTA's activities are informed by professional advice from a wide range of sources.

Funding for the treatment of addiction to medicine is not separately identified in the money that the Department allocates to local areas for commissioning services. Clinicians treating addiction to medicine are expected to follow the United Kingdom guidelines on clinical management of drug misuse and dependence and other relevant guidance. Departmental officials have been working with the Royal College of General Practitioners to develop further training and guidance in preventing and treating addiction to medicine.

Voluntary organisations which wish to seek funding direct from the Department need to apply to the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund. The deadline for registering an intention to apply for 2013-14 funding was 7 September.

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