After careful consideration, Greensand Surgery has decided to stop prescribing Benzodiazepines (such as diazepam) for patients undergoing MRI scans or other investigative procedures. Like many other GP practices adopting similar policies, we have not made this decision lightly.
It is the belief of our GP partners, and by extension, all of the prescribers working within the practice, that the appropriateness of sedation must be assessed by the clinician performing a procedure, and any required prescription must be prescribed by them.
The reasons for this can be found below:
- Small doses of benzodiazepines, such as 2mg of diazepam, are likely to be ineffective for most adults in providing adequate sedation. Conversely, anxiolytics can provoke varied responses in patients, and even minimal doses can lead to increased agitation in certain patient groups.
- A patient might take a sedative an hour before their planned procedure, only to arrive at the hospital and find that their procedure has been delayed. As a result, the timing of the anxiolytic becomes less effective.
- GPs do not regularly engage in, possess the requisite expertise for, or receive training and assessment in sedation skills.
- All hospital consultants, including those requesting imaging and those performing it, have the same prescription abilities as GPs. This capacity to prescribe means that if a patient needs a specific medication for an investigation, they can easily be provided with a prescription through the hospital pharmacy or from a hospital FP10.
We would advise any patients who still feel that benzodiazepines are necessary to consult directly with their radiographers, who can offer specific guidance on available options.