Local Data
The Opioids in Non Cancer Pain Clinical Reference Group (CRG) are using local data on opioid prescribing to support its work. Data is provided to every GP practice in Lincolnshire bi-annually.
If you work at a GP Practice within Lincolnshire and have not received this information, please contact the Medicines Optimisation team at licb.mo@nhs.net and we will be able to provide you with the latest information for your practice.
The chart below shows the total number of people in Lincolnshire prescribed opioids (as oral morphine equivalence). Lincolnshire are amongst the highest prescribers in the country.
Taken from https://openprescribing.net/measure/opioidome/sicbl/71E/#opioidome
Last Updated August 2024
The Y-Axis is describing the "equivalent dose of oral morphine prescribed for every 1000 patients". As opioid medicines are all different strengths, this measure shows what the total would look like if each of those different medications were converted to their equivalent dose of oral morphine through an opioid conversion chart. This is described as below on the OpenPrescribing site:
"This measure describes the total Oral Morphine Equivalence (OME) in ALL opioid prescribing (excluding prescribing for addiction) including low-dose opioids in drugs such as co-codamol and co-dydramol. This measure is experimental and should be used with caution, as OME conversions vary in different reference sources. We have amended the measure to take into account changes in equivalency in the BNF."
Below is another chart showing "High Dose Opioids" for Lincolnshire. The chart shows that Lincolnshire are again amongst the highest prescribers of high dose opioid medications for the whole country and well above the national average, though there has been a slow reduction over the last four years.
Taken from https://openprescribing.net/measure/opioidper1000/sicbl/71E/#opioidper1000
Last Updated August 2024
High dose opioids, as mentioned in the title of the chart, are considered to be a prescription equivalent to above 120mg of Morphine. The measure on the Y-Axis is showing an average of how many patients out of 1000 are prescribed a dose of opioids that meet this criteria.
While a measure of 1 or 2 may not seem like a lot, there are over 820,000 people in Lincolnshire, which means that roughly 14,000 people are on what would be considered a high dose opioid prescription. If Lincolnshire were closer to the national average this number would be closer to 8,000, which is a difference of 6,000 people.