The use of opioids such as morphine, fentanyl and codeine, has dramatically increased in the UK over the past 20 years.

Until the late 1990s, opioids had been reserved for cancer patients and for those with short-term acute pain following surgery.  Nowadays, they are also prescribed by doctors to help people manage severe or chronic pain conditions including lower back pain, arthritis and nerve pain when standard painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol do not respond.

However, what makes opioid medications effective for treating pain can also make them dangerous.  At lower doses, opioids may make a patient feel sleepy, but higher doses can slow their breathing and heart rate, which can lead to death. The feelings of pleasure that result from taking an opioid can make a patient want to continue experiencing those feelings, which may lead to addiction. There is also now increasing evidence of their overuse or misuse by prescription.

There are some opioids available at pharmacies over the counter, such as codeine-based painkillers, which are weaker in strength but can also cause addiction.

At Jackson Lees, we have experience dealing with medical negligence cases that involve prescription opioids, prescribed following surgery and as treatment for back complaints, where patients have suffered both physical and psychological symptoms as a result of their addiction.

The Department of Health has warned that the number of opioid prescriptions in England and Wales has risen by more than 60% over the past 10 years, from more than 14 million in 2008 to 23 million last year.  In the North of England, prescriptions are four times more than in London.

The number of codeine-related deaths in England and Wales has more than doubled to more than 150 in the last ten years, while co-codamol deaths have also increased. In response, all opioid medicines in the UK are to carry more prominent warnings on their labels to say they can cause addiction.

However, more needs to be done to discuss the risks and benefits of opioids with patients, as well as carefully monitoring them to minimise the risks of addiction associated with opioid medicines.

Getting the right information at the right time to support patient care at primary care level will prevent patients suffering the complications that arise from long term opioid use.  It will also help the NHS avoid having to face an opioid epidemic similar to that which has ravaged the United States, where the rate of opioid prescriptions is four times that of the UK.  The variation in prescribing rates between NHS regions shows that it is possible to limit their use.

For a free consultation with one of our Medical Neligence specialist advisers, call us on 0800 387 927, request a callback at your convenience or message us your enquiry. You can also drop into the clinic at our Birkenhead office Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.