FOI Request 7928 - Guidance for Managing Drug Withdrawal

Details of the Request

1. Please could you confirm whether in January 2020 you had any local guidance in place, which specifically considered, in an acute setting:

• the management of withdrawal from illicit drugs and / or
• the continuation of community substitution prescriptions for drug dependence (such as opioid substitution therapy) and / or
• the initiation of such a prescription

2. Please could you share this guidance with us (as it was in January 2020) under the terms of the FOI Act, or otherwise point us to where it could be found in the public domain.

Details of the Response

The Trust does not have a document that describes the management process.

In practice, history during admission will indicate need for medical intervention or will note prior substitution prescriptions [methadone, z drugs, subutex etc.]. These are continued whilst inpatient after confirming indication and dose with the community addiction and rehabilitation centre / team. Similar engagement occurs with the community addiction and rehabilitation centre / team at discharge, to ensure arrangements are in place for continuing treatment or review.

• Return to the list of requests for 2021