‘Think twice’ campaign could reduce risk of UK opioid epidemic. A pilot campaign that urged GPs (family doctors) to ‘think-twice’ before putting a patient on opioid medicines was effective in reducing opioid prescribing in primary care, according to the findings of a major study. Although the reduction in the number of opioid prescriptions issued by individual GPs was small, when aggregated together they had a large effect.

Although the reduction in the number of opioid prescriptions issued by individual GPs was small, when aggregated together they had a large effect.

The campaign was trialled in West Yorkshire and the researchers say over a year, it resulted in 15,000 fewer patients being given opioids — and a net saving to the NHS of ?700,000. If it were replicated across the UK, it could lead to 406,000 fewer patients taking opioid medications.

This study, led by researchers from the University of Leeds and published in the journal PLoS Medicine, involved a ‘feedback’ intervention that continued for a year, where GPs were given two-monthly updates on the number of people at their practice being prescribed opioids.

Opioids are morphine-based medicines that can result in addiction, dependency and an increased risk of falls and early death.

They are often given as painkillers, but the Royal College of Anaesthetists says there is little evidence they help with long-term chronic pain — although they work for acute pain and end-of-life care.

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