- The Irish College of GPs welcomes the publication of the report on the Overprescribing of Benzodiazepines, Z Drugs, & Gazapentinoids in Ireland.
- Solutions to overprescribing require a multifaced approach, including timely access to suitable services for patients all over the country.
The Irish College of GPs* is the professional body for general practice in Ireland. The College is the representative organization for education, training and standards in general practice, with over 4,400 members comprising over 85% of practising GPs in the Republic of Ireland.
The College welcomes the publication today (Tuesday, February 25th) of the Multi-agency Working Group on Overprescribing entitled “Examining the over-prescribing of Benzodiazepines, Z Drugs and Gabapentinoids in Ireland”
The Chair of the Board of the Irish College of GPs, Dr Deirdre Collins, said: “At the heart of overprescribing is often the patient with distressing symptoms. In general practice, we can see most patients within one or two weeks and provide immediate assessment and management of difficult symptoms. Medications, as listed in the report, can be appropriately prescribed for patients with grief reactions, acute disc prolapse, chronic neuropathic pain, chronic anxiety, etc. Modern healthcare sees the management of any of these as going far beyond only prescribing medication, but unfortunately, it may be weeks or months before they can access counselling, physiotherapy, psychiatry assessment or pain multidisciplinary team assessment”.
She added “GPs see many patients face-to-face every day and make good use of our limited resources, but often we are only able to provide some brief counselling, and many consultations do result in a prescription. We try where possible to limit prescribing to the shortest and lowest dose possible whilst giving relief.”
The Assistant Medical Director of the Irish College of GPs, Dr Suzanne Kelly, said:
“GPs believe ancillary services, supports, counselling services, pain management teams, and weight management supports should be available for primary care/GP referral, and this must be accessible in a timely manner all over the country. This would enable GPs to have alternatives to commencing or continuing medications and enhance our work in supporting patients who are dependent on these medications in the community.”
She added: “We acknowledge the supports the HSE has also put in place, e.g. the Silver Cloud virtual counselling service for mild anxiety and depression.”
The Irish College of GPs runs a “Better Safer Prescribing” course for members, with an entire module on the medications highlighted in this report.
The College provides education for members in Level 1 Addiction Management and Prescribing.
Furthermore, the College has blended learning resources on benzodiazepine prescribing for 1300 GPs in training.
*The Irish College of GPs was formerly known as the Irish College of General Practitioners.
Issued by: Aileen O’Meara, Communications Consultant, Irish College of GPs.
Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830. Email: media@icgp.ie www.IrishCollegeofGPs.ie