Medicine safety & optimisation

Medicines safety

Opioids are effective at relieving acute pain and for managing pain at the end of life. However, there is little evidence that this class of medicines is helpful for managing longer-term pain (chronic pain). Despite this, until recently, clinicians had been widely prescribing opioids for chronic pain treatment. Opioids have a serious risk of addiction, especially with long-term use.

NHS England has been supporting local health and care providers to reduce inappropriate prescribing of high-strength pain-relief medicines, like opioids, where they may no longer be the most clinically appropriate treatment for patients – and in some cases can become harmful without intervention. To support a reduction in opioid medicines we are also advocating the promotion and adoption of biopsychosocial support models to enable patients suffering with chronic pain to better manage their conditions on a day-to-day basis.

Medicines Safety Program

The Medicines Safety programme aims to reduce avoidable harm from medicines, especially from opioids, and improve chronic pain care. Our team are working closely with ICSs and stakeholders to deliver meaningful change.

We have developed tailored support for each Integrated Care System in our region to help them to address their specific challenges in opioid overprescribing and managing chronic pain.

News and case studies

Resources

Opioid Safety Improvement Programme

Find additional resources on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform.

Link

Opioid Prescribing Comparators dashboard

See national prescribing figures.

Link

Contact us

If you’d like to find out more about medications safety or any of our other patient safety programmes, get in touch.

Get in touch

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