Painkiller fight can’t stop now

After a brilliant two-year campaign by this newspaper, the NHS is finally introducing new guidelines on the prescribing of highly addictive opioid painkillers. they will make the dangers clear, offer advice on how long the drugs should be prescribed for, and how patients should be weaned off them. that’s great — but still more is needed. Many patients are on these drugs long term because of chronic pain. they need access to pain specialists who will optimise their drug treatment. We also need better facilities for patients who become addicted. At present, they are treated at their local addiction clinic along with heroin and crack addicts. What I would like to see are specialist services to help those who became hooked on prescribed medicines through no fault of their own.