PrescQIPP

Pain

Here are all our resources related to pain. Each set of resources includes tools that can be adapted for local use before implementation.

This section addresses some of the safety concerns and clinical concerns associated with the different classes of medicines used in pain.

B336: Reducing opioid prescribing in chronic pain

Discusses the processes and resources available to support opioid reduction.

View >>

B324: Combination analgesics

View >>

B364: Opioid patches

This bulletin focuses on the safe and appropriate prescribing of opioid patches as well as cost effective treatment choices. An audit is available to help identify patients prescribed opioid patches who might benefit from review and optimisation of their pain management.

View >>

B362: Oxycodone

This bulletin supports the review of oxycodone treatment. It looks at safety, treatment reviews, tapering and deprescribing and less costly oxycodone preparations.

View >>

B265: NSAIDs

These resources look at the safety implications of long term treatment with NSAIDs and support treatment initiation and review.

View >>

High dose opioids audits

These audit tools were developed by the NHS England East of England CDAO network to support practices and community pharmacists review and tackle high dose opioid prescribing.

View >>

Opioids aware webinars

These three webinars were delivered by Dr Ruth Bastable to launch and update on the opioids aware audit that was first launched and run in the East of England.

View >>

Many of these resources support the implementation of the PrescQIPP PROP-List and the NHS England “items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care guidance.

B194: Co-Proxamol

Discusses the use of co-proxamol and supports reviewing and discontinuing prescribing in patients still taking this unlicensed medicine.

View >>

B285: Fentanyl immediate release

Immediate release fentanyl has a NICE do not do as a first line treatment for breakthrough pain. 

View >>

B208: Paracetamol and tramadol combination products

Focuses on Paracetamol and tramadol combination products and provides the rationale for new patients to be initiated on paracetamol or paracetamol with codeine.

View >>

B199: Oxycodone/naloxone (Targinact ®)

Supports the the review of oxycodone/naloxone prolonged release tablets, the rationale to stop treatment and also suggests alternative treatment options. Support materials are also available for organisations to adapt and use to implement changes.

View >>

B205: Glucosamine

Reviews the use of glucosamine (with or without chondroitin) preparations. Guidance on stopping treatments and patient information is available to support implementation.

View >>

B287: Rubefacients

Covers rubefacients and other miscellaneous topical analgesics and provides support for reviewing the prescribing of these products in line with the NHS England low priority prescribing guidance.

View >>

Our data hub has a range of reports which will help commissioners identify variation in practice and spend and savings that may be available through implementing different projects. All our current bulletins have visual data packs available which are on the same webpage as the resources. This section shows the extra resources we have available to support review of pain prescribing.

Pain visual snapshot

Updated monthly, containing latest 12 months data and grouped to two levels of pain specific areas within the BNF, this clinical snapshot reports at both commissioner and practice level (visualisation only).

View >>

Controlled drugs thresholds visual snapshot

This snapshot supports monitoring of the different schedules of controlled drugs at a local level, and offer comparisons at a national level.

View >>