News Diamorphine shortage causing former heroin users to relapse for first time in a decade, charities warn With all strengths of diamorphine injections currently out of stock, charities have said patients are returning to using heroin.…Published: 17 June 2022
News MHRA reviewing impact of warning labels on sales and prescribing of codeine linctus Exclusive: A review of the benefits and risks of codeine linctus will consider sales, prescribing and misuse before and after labelling changes.…Published: 14 June 2022
Opinion Pharmacies and opioid dependency: working together to better support recovery One patient in particular led Rachel Britton to discover and develop the role of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in helping people with opioid dependency.…Published: 6 June 2022
News NICE has ‘failed to listen to patient evidence’ on prescription drug withdrawal, claims parliamentary group The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence has criticised the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on its new guidance on tapered withdrawal of dependency-forming drugs.…Published: 21 April 2022
Opinion Why pairing up with a psychologist helped to reduce risky opioid prescribing Pharmacist Lis Farquhar has found that working with psychologist Vivienne Laidler has allowed them to better approach their patients' reliance on opioids.…Published: 11 April 2022
Opinion Substance use and the environment: time for pharmacy to step up Pharmacy has the ability to better support people who use substances, while simultaneously acting sustainably.…Published: 4 April 2022
News More than 1,000 patients stopped taking antidepressants after introduction of local deprescribing guidelines Exclusive: Guidelines published in 2021 have helped Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group move from having the fifth highest antidepressant prescribing rate in the country to the eighth highest.…Published: 28 March 2022
News Scottish drug-related deaths fall for first time in five years According to a Police Scotland report, there were 116 fewer suspected drug-related deaths in Scotland in 2021, compared with 2020.…Published: 16 March 2022
Opinion It is time to act on the inequalities in treatment for substance misuse among LGBTQ+ people Pharmacy staff are well placed to improve the healthcare experience for people in the LGBTQ+ community, a group that is often more susceptible to substance misuse.…Published: 7 March 2022
News Government pledges more than £500m to boost drug treatment services in England The funding is part of a ten-year plan to address drug misuse and reduce drug-related deaths.…Published: 8 December 2021