Sleeping tablet use in decline
THE number of prescriptions for sleeping tablets has reduced by 27% since 2012.
Comments made in the Guernsey Press recently by GP Dr Piers Mitchell suggested the island had a ‘historic problem’ with patients resorting to the medicines, known as hypnotics.
Health & Social Care said the number of prescriptions had dropped from 1,317 in August 2012 to 954 in August 2017.
‘Primary and secondary care have worked collaboratively to reduce this potential harm to our patients. The healthcare community in both islands consider this work to be a priority,’ said a spokesman.
‘We have held local workshops, brought expert speakers to the island, agreed guidelines and written bulletins on the management of insomnia. For many years quarterly meetings have been held on all potentially-addictive prescription only drugs.’
HSC also pointed out that staff at the PEH have not prescribed hypnotics to in-patients for many years.
Full story in today's Guernsey Press
*The headline for this story was changed on 1 November
