Control and Reduction of Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care (CROPP)

Phase 1 of our CROPP project is now underway.  This is an interview study examining GPs’ experiences of prescribing opioid medication for chronic pain, paying particular attention to the prescribing of high doses.  This is a Pathway to Portfolio study funded through BCUHB.  Simon Gill (a BCUHB Primary Care Pharmacist) has been seconded to be Lead Investigator for this project, in collaboration with fellow CFMHAS members Rob Poole, Sadia Nafees and John Bailey.

The wider aims of the Control and Reduction of Opioid Prescribing in Primary care (CROPP) project are to gain an understanding of the problems, for both patients and doctors, around the prescribing of opioids for chronic pain and to develop and evaluate a package of resources to facilitate improved management of opioid prescribing in primary care.

This is being carried out alongside other research in CFMHAS investigating the prevalence of long-term, high-dose opioid prescribing in primary care; the harmful effects on chronic pain patients of prolonged use of high-dose opioid medication; and interventions to reduce harmful doses of opioid medication in pain patients.