Opioid Tapering Guidelines
The CRG (Clinical Reference Group) developed local guidelines to support the tapering of opioid medication.
The Lincolnshire Tapering Guidelines for Opioids can be found here.
Gabapentinoid Tapering Guidelines
The CRG developed local guidelines to support the tapering of Gabapentinoid medication.
The Lincolnshire Gabapentinoid Tapering Guidance can be found here.
PACEF
The CRG have worked with PACEF (Prescribing and Clinical Effectiveness Forum) to update the local formulary advice for prescribing opioids in chronic non-cancer pain.
4 Step Approach Guidelines
Too many patients are currently prescribed long-term opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain. Often, there is no clear evidence of ongoing benefit, but there is significant risk of long-term harm.
A substantial element of this prescribing is historical, but we all have a responsibility to tackle the problem together. This does not mean stopping opioid therapy in a forced or non-consensual way but having open and collaborative conversations with our patients on a regular basis.
The 4-Step Approach guidelines have been developed to support healthcare professionals in being opioids aware, review opioid prescriptions regularly, to have the right sort of conversations around pain and opioids and to taper in a careful, collaborative way where appropriate.
The four steps can be viewed in more detail by clicking on the link below.
Download the full 4 Step Approach guideline here:
Red Flags
The CRG developed ‘red flag’ guidance to highlight when opioids may pose a serious and/or imminent risk to patient safety.
To see this resource click here.
Which Resource Flow Chart
The CRG have developed this flow chart to help patients and healthcare professionals to navigate our non-pharmacological alternatives to opioid medication.
To see this resource click here.