BCNC

Benzodiazepines: Co-operation Not Compensation

Web: www.bcnc.org.uk

The aims of the group are:

• To achieve a situation where no medical practitioner supplies a new patient with benzodiazepines or "Z" drugs (tranquilliser or sleeping pill), for a longer period of time than the two to four weeks as recommended by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines. This should ensure that no future patients fall into the dependency trap through the issuing of repeat prescriptions by their GP.
• To provide a support network for as long as is needed for people who unfortunately are already dependent on prescribed benzodiazepines and "Z" drugs.
• To make full use of all existing knowledge, expertise and experience, and to identify and promote best practices, wherever they exist. This will ensure that the standard of help and assistance is not determined by post code but is the same across the whole of the United Kingdom.
• To develop an input into the prescribing and usage of benzodiazepines and "Z" drugs by working in close harmony with Primary Care Trusts and medical practitioners. This would include developing innovative ways of ensuring that the public have access to proper and comprehensive information about all aspects of these drugs before being prescribed them by their medical practitioner.
• To develop and influence, a more compassionate understanding of reduction side effects that are experienced by people who undertake reductions from these drugs, which in most but not all cases leads to total withdrawal. This involves both the dosage reduction and also the time period between each set of reductions being under the control of the patient.
• To challenge the medical confidentiality aspects associated with people using prescribed long term benzodiazepines and "Z" drugs so that the carers/families who help to look after people with a dependency problem are more aware of the problems they are dealing with.
• To become a registered charity so that decisions that need to be taken, can be made without the influence of any parties that might have self interests.
• To establish a national funding policy which would support people who are long term users of prescribed benzodiazepine and "Z" drugs.