Opioids are morphine-type medicines which come from the opium poppy or are similar-to morphine. They are very effective for short-term pain, cancer pain, and pain at the end of life. Opioids are thought to be less useful for treating long-term non-cancer pain. Side effects are common and can be serious. People who take opioids for longer periods are at risk of tolerance (needing a higher dose to get the same effect), dependence (unable to cut down or stop without withdrawal effects), and addiction (uncontrollable use despite harmful consequences).

In the UK, opioid prescribing has increased substantially over the last two decades. Doses are higher and opioids are taken for longer, suggesting many people are at risk of harmful effects without useful pain relief. Research into opioid dependence and addiction has found people do not always fully understand the risks of these medicines at the start of treatment. Local Community Pharmacists could be used to improve information and support for those prescribed opioids.

This study aims to get a better understanding of the experiences of people prescribed opioids and their information and support needs, and to investigate whether information and support could be improved using Community Pharmacists. Findings may improve care for people prescribed opioids in the future.

The study will involve questionnaires and interviews with adults prescribed an opioid medicine for pain, not caused by cancer, over a period of at least 3 months. Participants will be recruited from GP practices in England.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ability to give informed consent
• Adults aged 18 years and above, with no upper age limit
• Prescribed any opioid analgesic (defined as any opioid or opioid/paracetamol combination analgesic from sections 4.7.2 and 4.7.1 British National Formulary) for non-cancer pain for a period of ≥3 months (defined as ≥ 2 opioid prescriptions issued in the previous 3 months with a minimum interval of 60 days between the first and last prescription)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cancer pain
• Terminal illness
• Vulnerable patients (e.g. severe mental illness, learning difficulties, dementia, care home residents)
• Unable to understand English
• Deemed by their GP to be inappropriate to contact

Patients registered with a GP practice in England who have been prescribed an opioid medicine for non-cancer pain by their GP over a period of at least 3 months. Purposive sampling of GP practices within the NIHR CRN East Midlands is planned. We aim to utilise a sample of practices with a range of characteristics which are representative of GP practices across the East Midlands.