In recent years, there has been increasing concern regarding the overprescribing of opioids and associated harms. The RDTC has produced a series of publications as part of the Polypharmacy and Overprescribing theme reviewing opioid prescribing:
Each publication includes considerations and interventions for medicines optimisation teams and health systems. To avoid duplication across this series of overprescribing and polypharmacy opioid publications, the suggested actions have only been listed in the most relevant theme but may apply across all. We recommend reading all parts of the series sequentially to ensure the breadth of potential actions are known. The publications can be accessed using the links below:
PPH 3. Polypharmacy & Overprescribing: Opioid patient populations:
This publication aims to support greater understanding of the patient populations prescribed opioids and the inter-relationships and dependencies between prescribing and the available metrics.
PPH 4. Polypharmacy & Overprescribing: Opioid patient demographics:
This publication aims to support greater understanding of the demographics of the patient populations prescribed opioids.
PPH 5. Opioid population health management:
This publication aims to support greater understanding of the population health management of patients prescribed opioids, specifically in terms of deprivation level and the impact on sustainability and climate change.