Minutes of Meeting with Ann Milton MP Minister for Public Health
W4 House of Commons Tuesday 6 September 2011
Present :
Ann Milton MP Minister for Public Health
Jim Dobbin MP, Earl of Sandwich
John Mc Cracken, Drugs Adviser DoH, Yemi Fagun, Ann Milton’s office and Pat Dobbin, Jim Dobbin’s office.
The meeting was delayed as the minister was in the chamber.
We spoke with the two advisers until she arrived and discussed the agenda for the meeting. It was suggested that there was a great need for a statistical analysis of the prescriptions for Benzos in order to calculate the number of involuntary addicts in England and Wales. Mr McCracken thought this would be very difficult to do, Earl Sandwich said it should be possible and it was pointed out that it would be difficult for the DoH to devise a policy on involuntary tranquilliser addiction and withdrawal without knowledge of the numbers involved. John McCracken suggested that the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs based in Lisbon might have data.
When the minister arrived she agreed with her advisers that the agenda for the round table meeting would be increasing support for GPs, raising public awareness, setting up of partnerships and commissioning of health and better access to treatment (this would feed off commissioning). No details were given.
A discussion took place on the contents of the letter that Jim Dobbin had sent the previous day to the minister outlining the group’s concerns ( see attached).
The Minister said the care agencies need to understand the problem of involuntary tranquilliser addiction and make people aware of their services. She felt there was a lack of awareness even among care professionals and under reporting. When asked if they knew how many user groups there were the answer was no and that local PCTs were responsible for figures Yemi was asked to write to PCTs and authorities to evaluate progress.
Jim Dobbin pointed out that Professor Ashton a world renowned expert had been sidelined in the reports and by the Dept of Health. The Minister asked what Professor Ashton’s specialism was and where she worked. Jim informed her that Heather Ashton was Emeritus Professor of Psychopharmacology at the School of Neurosciences at Newcastle University and a world renowned expert on Benzodiazapine Addiction and withdrawal. He emphasised the need for all care professionals to follow Professor Ashton’s Manual when treating prescribed addiction to tranquillisers.
Jim Dobbin commented on the composition of the attendees invited to the round table and that there was no list of names or anyone from the APPG’s lists of patients, experts and care providers. John McCracken said they were hoping to visit Belfast to meet with David McKeown if he was available but he was often away. The minister said 3 groups BAT, ADS Oldham and Bridge had been invited to the round table meeting and that each had been told they could bring a patient with them if they wished. The point was made that the APPG had contact with many expert patients who could contribute. The Minister suggested that we should form a group of patient experts and patient supporters and arrange a meeting with her.
The Minister agreed to Jim’s suggestion that the various professional bodies with an interest in patient treatment and public health eg General Medical Council. Royal College of Psychiatrists and British Medical Association and General Practitioners’ Association, PCTs and Local Health Authorities and providers should be contacted to find out what their policies are on involuntary prescribed tranquilliser addiction and on treating patients. She asked Yemi Fagun to write to them.
Jim Dobbin said the All Party Group’s view is that talking therapies should be the first step before use of drugs. It was made clear that involuntary tranquilliser addicts should not be treated in the same way as drug misusers and that a different programme of treatment based on Heather Ashton’s manual was an absolute necessity. The Minister and Adviser suggested that all patients should be treated individually to suit their needs. Jim raised the issue regarding the incorrect statement made by Dr Clare Gerada Chair of the RCGP on Face the Facts radio programme when she claimed the withdrawal symptoms from long term use of benzodiazapines were overstated. When Jim Dobbin referred to Clare Gerada and maintenance psychiatrists saying that some patients could be left on a drugs for a lifetime John McCracken responded that many illnesses require long term medication. The minister added that every case should be treated differently. Ann Milton’s contribution to the programme had been welcomed as she recognised there was a problem and that she wanted to get a grip of it.
The issue of welfare benefits was raised by Earl Sandwich and the necessity of ensuring the involuntary tranquilliser addicts were able to access these benefits. The Minister agreed to contact DWP.
There was some discussion on compensation and whether when pharmaceutical companies apply for licences they should be asked to put 10% of their profit aside for compensation purposes. We discussed if GPs or providers or drug companies could be sued.
Earl Sandwich told the meeting that he had asked the DoH for access to support centres and had been given 4 wrong telephone numbers. The minister looked surprised.
The meeting finished at 7.45.