Medics issue warning as Sunderland dubbed 'painkiller capital' - with 145,000 prescriptions in just six months

Almost 145,000 prescriptions for tramadol and codeine were issued by GPs and other primary care professionals in the city in the first six months of 2019.

Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), responsible for primary care in the city, said excessive use of painkillers is on the rise and the North East is now the highest-prescribing area in the country.

Health chiefs are now aiming to tackle the issue head on, running a campaign to raise awareness of what they say is a potentially deadly dependency.

Dr Saira Malik, executive GP and Musculoskeletal (MSK) clinical lead at Sunderland CCG, has been leading on reducing prescribing and looking at measures to support patients and clinicians.

“We know that Sunderland has a high usage of painkiller medication. There are different levels of addiction, which can range from an unhealthy reliance, to dependency through to addiction,” she said.

“Anyone who feels this is an issue affecting them or a loved one should raise it with their GP.

“If a patient feels they are hiding how many painkillers they are taking for example, they’ll know themselves they need help to come off these drugs and local GPs are ready to support that process.

“If you’re someone who has been taking painkillers for several months, we would encourage you to recognise this may be a red flag and discuss your pain management with your GP to see if there are alternative ways to manage your pain and reduce dependency on these highly addictive drugs.”

Dr Malik said opioid painkiller drugs are designed to mask pain and will not cure the problem – but she said many people do not recognise their own reliance on painkillers or realise overuse can lead to dependence and addiction, and the need to physically withdraw.

A citywide campaign aims to raise awareness of the issues, dangers and effects of high-dose, long-term painkiller use to help patients using painkiller medication to feel empowered to seek support. Online information is available at www.PainkillersDontExist.com.

Every GP practice in the Sunderland area has also received a range of materials to support the campaign as well as a commitment to limiting new opiate prescriptions to three months and reviewing existing opioid usage.

GPs and pharmacies will work with patients to identify sustainable, alternative pain management techniques for longer term chronic pain.

Dr Rory Mackinnon, GP Partner at Bridge View Medical Group in Southwick, said: “Addiction to painkillers can happen to anyone and there is no specific category of patient who is at risk.

“It is estimated that 5.6 million adults in England take prescribed opioids and this is particularly predominant in Sunderland.

“I would encourage anyone who has been taking painkillers for more than two months to make an appointment with their GP to discuss realistic pain management options, in order to prevent unintentional dependency.”

Hard-hitting campaign

Dr Claire Bradford, medical director of NHS Sunderland, added: “We are aiming for a two-pronged approach to this problem. As well as encouraging opioid users to discuss their painkiller use with their GPs, we are working hard with 220 GPs and their practices across the city to ensure this issue is a priority and offer alternative solutions to pain management for patients.

“It’s important to highlight however, the campaign is not directed at patients with cancer pain, those under palliative care or children.”

The campaign will see a hard-hitting social media campaign along with GP surgery posters and advice cards, roadside billboards, and a new website to provide general and specific local information for people of Sunderland and the North East.

It will focus on the theme that painkillers don’t exist as pain can’t be killed, only masked or managed.

Dr Mackinnon said: “These very strong painkillers should only be used during periods of acute pain, before coming off them altogether or moving to a long-term, managed plan for people who have chronic pain issues.”

Side effects of prolonged prescription pain medication can be truly debilitating and as well as leaving lasting internal damage to organs like your stomach and liver. They can also lead to nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, changes in personality, respiratory issues, confusion, fatigue, anxiety, hallucinations and overdose through accidental poisoning.

‘I would never have thought I could have become so dependent on my medication’

The campaign is supported by Jazmine Allen, 23, who has been dependent on opioid painkillers since the age of 12.

A university student, she has completed her end-of-year project around the issue of painkiller addiction and has been working with Sunderland CCG.

She said: “As a child I needed pelvic surgery for my hip dysplasia and was prescribed high dose long-term painkillers for chronic pain, which was ongoing through my teenage years.

“As an adult I recognised this wasn’t helping the pain anymore and decided I wanted to stop taking them.

“I still suffer from chronic pain, but now I am no longer taking opioid medication I can manage my pain better as I don’t suffer the side effects which had taken over my life.

“I would never have thought I could have become so dependent on my medication, because it was prescribed, but I was. I’ve heard so many similar stories – it’s important to recognise you may have become dependent on your medication and should ask for help to address this.”