Dear Mr Perrott,
Thank you for your email of 17 February about benzodiazepine addiction. I have been asked to reply.
As you know from previous correspondence from my colleagues, the Department of Health has commissioned reports that will provide evidence on the problems caused by addiction to medicine and the level of current service provision.
Anne Milton, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, met Dr Linda Harris recently to discuss a range of issues, including addiction to medicines, and they agreed to have a further discussion of this important subject once the evidence-gathering
reports are available.
I hope your discussion with Dr Harris will be constructive and that this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Heaton
Customer Service Centre
Department of Health