Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Alcohol and drug misuseClinical governanceMental health conditionsWellbeing and health promotionOccupational Health

More support needed to tackle prescription drug dependence

by Ashleigh Webber 16 Sep 2019
by Ashleigh Webber 16 Sep 2019 Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock

A review into the scale and causes of prescription drug dependence has highlighted the need for more support services and alternatives to medication, such as improved access to mental health services.

Public Health England found a quarter of adults in England had been prescribed at least one of five classes of medicines – including anti-depressants, opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, and medication for anxiety, epilepsy and insomnia – which the government believed had high rates of dependency, in 2017-2018.

Drug use

Toolkit helps employers tackle alcohol, tobacco and drug misuse

Drug and alcohol tests: what employers need to know

Between 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, the rate of prescribing for antidepressants increased from 15.8% of the adult population to 16.6%, and for gabapentinoids (used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain and anxiety) from 2.9% to 3.3%. The other classes of medicine looked at in the Prescribed medicines review saw a small decrease in prescribing rates.

The review noted that there was a higher rate of prescribing of these drugs, which PHE said had a risk of “dependence and withdrawal” among women and older adults.

It concluded that regular reviews of whether treatment is working are needed, while patients who wished to stop using a medicine must be able to access advice and treatment to help them do so.

The review also said that limiting the use of such medicines would increase harm and might lead some people to source medicines by illicit or less-regulated means, such as online pharmacies.

PHE recommended that clinical guidance should be enhanced, the availability and use of data on the prescribing of medicines that can cause dependence should be increased, and information for patients on such medicines and alternative treatments needed to be improved.

Support for patients experiencing dependence should also be bolstered, PHE said, while further research into the prevention and treatment of prescription drug dependence should be undertaken.

Rosanna O’Connor, director of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and justice at PHE, said: “We know that GPs in some of the more deprived areas are under great pressure but, as this review highlights, more needs to be done to educate and support patients, as well as looking closely at prescribing practice, and what alternative treatments are available locally.

“While the scale and nature of opioid prescribing does not reflect the so-called crisis in North America, the NHS needs to take action now to protect patients.”

NHS England’s chief pharmaceutical officer Keith Ridge added: “As PHE rightly say, these medicines have many vital clinical uses and can make a big difference to people’s quality of life and for some their long-term use is clinically necessary, particularly antidepressants, which can take longer to have their full effect.

“But for many patients they may not be the best option – with talking therapies and social prescribing often more appropriate.”

The British Medical Association’s Dr Andrew Green, who was involved in the review process, said social deprivation, poor access to mental health care, rising demand for GP services and an ageing population were all likely to be significant contributing factors to increasing rates of prescription drug dependence.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“While there remains a place for prescribing the kinds of drugs this report covers – including, in some circumstances, for long-term use – we need many more alternatives to medication, such as pain clinics, improved access to mental health services, and physiotherapy – the universal provision of which are all lacking,” said Dr Green.

“The BMA has for a long time called for tailored services to support people with dependence to prescription drugs, including a national helpline – and we are pleased to see this reflected within the report’s recommendations.”

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Vegetarians cannot be victims of discrimination: tribunal
next post
Betfred staff hit by holiday pay error

You may also like

‘Frustrating’ that NHS Plan has overlooked OH, warns...

8 Jul 2025

Four in 10 call centre workers to quit...

8 Jul 2025

Third in north west fear ill health will...

2 Jul 2025

Supporting employees through substance abuse

24 Jun 2025

How employers can support cancer carers better

11 Jun 2025

Two-thirds of workers still struggling to access GPs...

10 Jun 2025

Half with MS have left a job because...

3 Jun 2025

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today