Key messages:
There is an urgent need to:-
• Screen and assess people on opioids,
• Make clinical decisions about opioid reduction and optimal pain management where appropriate,
• Identify the best clinical approach and place (GP surgery, hospital clinic, community pharmacy) for this to occur,
• Ensure that there are resources to deal with those patients captured by any screening process,
• Employ a corporate approach to manage those who are non-compliant (see ‘Recommended Actions’).

This should be proactively linked to interdisciplinary pain assessment and management to ensure best pain management through other strategies and treatments.

The required services need to be fully commissioned to support patients.