Benzodiazepine prescribing : lessons from interprofessional dialogue.

BACKGROUND

The prescribing of benzodiazepines in the general practice setting raises many issues for general practitioners. In the latter part of 2005, GP members of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victoria Faculty Drug and Alcohol Sub-Committee and GP-Psychiatry Liaison Sub-Committee met with representatives of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and the Pharmacy Guild to discuss these challenges from their different perspectives.

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to raise some issues about benzodiazepine prescribing that arose as part of an interprofessional dialogue between GPs, psychiatrists and pharmacists. This dialogue was an informal opportunity to debate current practice and learn from the perspective of others.

DISCUSSION

While a small group discussion has limitations in addressing all the issues pertaining to quality prescribing of benzodiazepines, it does provide a forum for useful debate and has the potential to enhance our effectiveness in the quality use of medicines, in the area of benzodiazepine prescribing.