Below are some of our successes and gains we have achieved thus far:-
BCNC Founded Summer of 2005
Meeting takes place and BCNC is founded as an organisation with Allan Weatherburn and Thelma being the origional founders. Several people attend the meeting and agree to form a group. The aims and objectives of the groups are discussed and agreed soon after the meeting.
To view BCNC aims and objectives click HERE.
Established A Working Relationship with Local PCT
In the autumn of 2005 Allan successfully established a good working relationship with local doctors and pharmacists who are willing to work with BCNC to better tackle the problem with benzodiazepines and take action. As a result of this contact Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust produced an action plan to tackle benzodiazepine and Z drug's.
MBPCT's inovative action plan can be viewed HERE.
Website Established December 1st 2005
Website goes live online to offer BCNC as an online information resource for the internet community. Shortly after in the first week of January BCNC's forum was born to offer a board where people can ask for support or information regarding benzodiazepines.
The forum can be accessed Here.
Additional Members Join in 2006
BCNC gains 2 new members who volunteer their services to BCNC The two new members are Mae Bird and Dr J.G. McConnell.
New members click HERE for further details.
Established Connections With other groups online
BCNC made contact with other organisations which may have large amounts of people with benzodiazepine related problems. We also established connections with online resources which we felt some our visitors may benefit from. Many of these groups agreed to add our organisation to their links page. This has helped to get our organisation recognised amongst the online community and reach benzodiazepine users who previously did not know where to turn to. The organisations which we have established coverage with include anxiety, depression, mental health orientated sites, drug and alcohol related sites as well as other benzo addiction web sites.
Some of our partners are listed HERE in this carefully selected group of organisations.
Established Contact With Professor Heather Ashton
BCNC met Professor Heather Ashton in her Newcastle University office where her and BCNC's views on 'coming off benzodiazepines' were discussed along with other benzodiazepine dependency related issues. She offered her support for BCNC and its objectives as an organisation. After the meeting it was agreed that a statement would be made regarding rate of reduction should be drawn up and agreed between Professor Ashton and BCNC and published on BCNC site.
Professor Ashton's views on rate of reduction can be seen HERE.
BCNC involved in the external review of the latest edition of Prodigy guidance for Benzodiazepines / Z drugs
BCNC, through one of its' founder members, has been involved in the external review of the latest edition of PRODIGY guidance for Benzodiazepines / Z drugs. PRODIGY guidance is developed by clinicians and pharmacists for healthcare professionals. To read more about this see link below.
BCNC and prodigy review and update of PILS
Allan Weatherburn, founder of BCNC, had an article published an article in the British Journal of General Practice
Allan Weather Burn published an article in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) regarding his proposals for the way ahead in solving the benzodiazepine problem.
Carers Proposals for the Way Ahead for Prescription Benzodiazepines and Z drugs Dependency
