Pain Management
On this page we have some resources to aid clinical decisions on prescribing.
Prescribing Guidelines by Clinical Area
Opioids such as morphine, fentanyl and codeine are super strength medications for pain which can be highly addictive. In 2021 there were 4,859 drug related deaths in England and Wales. Approximately half of these deaths involved an opiate. On this page we have some resources to aid clinical decisions on prescribing.
Please see the Somerset Community Pain Management Service website for patient resources to help them understand and manage their pain.
Please see the Somerset Prescribing Formulary for preferred formulations.
Current News
NHS England have developed a new decision support tool: Making decisions to help you live well with chronic primary pain
getUBetter MSK Resource
The getUBetter app, a digital tool to support self management of musculoskeletal conditions, designed and written by local clinicians in Somerset, has been launched. getUBetter was piloted in the Community MSK Service and shown to have positive outcomes and feedback from patients and clinicians.
Please consider providing this non-drug option for patients presenting with musculoskeletal pain. See FAQs for Clinicians and Awareness video for more information.
Patients can be signposted using:
Accurx – Send the getUBetter Accurx template from your practice, which includes a link for patients to get started.
QR codes – get a patient to scan the QR code on a poster or give them a leaflet. If possible, please support a patient with this – it does help them to get started.
Services to help patients wanting to reduce their opiates
There is an Opioid Reduction Advice and Guidance service for GPs provided by Somerset Community Pain Management Service. The advice and guidance is for clinicians who are seeking help reducing opioid medication for patients where opiate use is escalating and there is a safety concern.
There is also a combined Somerset Drugs and Alcohol Service (SDAS) and Somerset Community Pain Management Service (SCPMS) for patients who are wanting to reduce their opiates. The referral criteria for this service can be found here. Further information is available in the GP Bulletin. Practices can refer by either sending an e-referrals using the template provided, or by email to the Somerset Community Pain Management Service. painservice@somersetft.nhs.uk
Ideally specify “Opioid Reduction Support” is required by the combined service.
