At a time when one of the greatest issues facing medicine is that of dependence on and withdrawal from prescribed drugs, in particular benzodiazepines, antidepressants and opioids, just when and how are we to establish and fund the proposed and much needed specialist support services in the UK? Symptomatic of the British lack of recognition of experts by experience and Third Sector knowledge, why have successful existing services been undervalued or forced to close? A much m

Beverley Thorpe questions whether Scotland is implementing an evidence-based approach to the prescribing of antidepressants. At a time when the dominant medical model of mental health means prescription rates of antidepressants in Scotland are soaring, should we be concerned by the lack of recognition the Scottish Government gave to the issue in their 2017-2027 Mental Health Strategy? What were their reasons for failing to address what is becoming an ever-increasing problem i