Question reference: S6W-08987
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 9 June 2022
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Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 23 June 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to issue benzodiazepine harm reduction guidance, following the issue of draft guidance in August 2021.
Answer
Following the publication of the interim guidance in August 2021 by the Drug Deaths Taskforce, the Scottish Government published an evidence review on benzodiazepine use in March 2022 and convened an expert group to consider the interim guidance, the evidence review, and what further guidance would cover. Experts endorse the interim guidance and agree that the prescribing element is the area which requires further research before anything further is published.
The Scottish Government has provided funding for a cohort study by the University of Stirling on patient outcomes and through the National Mission we are funding a pilot benzodiazepine clinic in Fife. These projects will contribute to the evidence needed to inform further guidance, and guidance on benzodiazepine harm reduction will be updated in response to the developing evidence base.