Patients' Experiences of Opioid Reduction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring Patients Experiences of Opioid Reduction in a Pain Medicine Department
IRAS ID
336337
Contact name
Helen Poole
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 28 days
Research summary
Patients with chronic non- cancer pain (CNCP) are frequently treated with opioids for pain relief. However, when taking high doses for long periods of time, patients may experience toxic side-effects and often no significant reduction in pain and improvement of quality of life. Recommendations from NICE and the Royal College of Anaesthetists state opioids are not advisable for CNCP and recommend their safe reduction or discontinuation, highlighting that patients need support during the process of reduction (NICE, 2021; Faculty of Pain of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, 2021).Patients often are referred to Hospital Pain Departments for detoxification of their opioid medication to safer dosages or no opioid medication. By interviewing patients who have been treated at a pain medicine department to reduce their opioids for chronic pain we aim to understand patients' experiences and views of the treatment received at the hospital and their journey in reducing opioids. Eligible patients will be over 18 years old, diagnosed with CNCP and currently taking opioids for CNCP.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/WM/0073
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion