Project overview
The MOPP study is part of an NIHR funded research programme called PROMPPT, (Proactive clinical Review of patients taking Opioid Medicines long-term for persistent Pain led by clinical Pharmacists in primary care Teams)
Background and study aims
Researchers are working with GP practices on a research study to develop new ways to improve care for patients with long term pain (also called persistent or chronic pain) who are regularly prescribed opioid medicines. Opioid medicines (also known as ‘opioids’) are a group of drugs that are commonly prescribed for pain. Morphine is the best-known opioid medicine and codeine, tramadol and oxycodone are opioids too. Sometimes opioids are mixed with paracetamol, for example co-codamol, co-dydramol and tramacet. Opioids may be prescribed as tablets, capsules, liquids, or patches. Guidelines say opioid medicines should be reviewed regularly, but this doesn’t always happen and many patients with long-term pain struggle to get the help they need. Pain reviews may be conducted by a GP or by another healthcare professional, for example a nurse or a pharmacist in the general practice team. GP practices are invited to take part in this study because the general practice team includes a practice pharmacist, who works in the practice for at least one half-day per week. Practice pharmacists have completed specialist training to provide expert support on medicines and are becoming more involved in reviewing patients on regular medicines for long-term health problems.
Who can participate?
Adults aged over 18 years in participating GP practices with persistent pain prescribed any opioid analgesic for at least 6 months and issued an opioid prescription in the last 2 months.
What does the study involve?
In the MOPP study, the researchers will collect health information on over 800 people who are prescribed opioid medicines for long term pain, from lots of different GP practices in England. The practices may invite patients for a pain review with the practice pharmacist. Patients who agree to take part in the MOPP study and then go on to attend a pain review with their practice pharmacist will, if they give permission to be contacted again, be invited to take part in a related study called MOPP-2, to find out more about their experiences of the pain review. The results of this study will help improve how pain reviews for patients taking opioid medicines are conducted in the future.
Background and study aims
Researchers are working with GP practices on a research study to develop new ways to improve care for patients with long term pain (also called persistent or chronic pain) who are regularly prescribed opioid medicines. Opioid medicines (also known as ‘opioids’) are a group of drugs that are commonly prescribed for pain. Morphine is the best-known opioid medicine and codeine, tramadol and oxycodone are opioids too. Sometimes opioids are mixed with paracetamol, for example co-codamol, co-dydramol and tramacet. Opioids may be prescribed as tablets, capsules, liquids, or patches. Guidelines say opioid medicines should be reviewed regularly, but this doesn’t always happen and many patients with long-term pain struggle to get the help they need. Pain reviews may be conducted by a GP or by another healthcare professional, for example a nurse or a pharmacist in the general practice team. GP practices are invited to take part in this study because the general practice team includes a practice pharmacist, who works in the practice for at least one half-day per week. Practice pharmacists have completed specialist training to provide expert support on medicines and are becoming more involved in reviewing patients on regular medicines for long-term health problems.
Who can participate?
Adults aged over 18 years in participating GP practices with persistent pain prescribed any opioid analgesic for at least 6 months and issued an opioid prescription in the last 2 months.
What does the study involve?
In the MOPP study, the researchers will collect health information on over 800 people who are prescribed opioid medicines for long term pain, from lots of different GP practices in England. The practices may invite patients for a pain review with the practice pharmacist. Patients who agree to take part in the MOPP study and then go on to attend a pain review with their practice pharmacist will, if they give permission to be contacted again, be invited to take part in a related study called MOPP-2, to find out more about their experiences of the pain review. The results of this study will help improve how pain reviews for patients taking opioid medicines are conducted in the future.
