New analysis reveals that NHS spending on addictive opioid painkillers has doubled since the pandemic, largely due to prolonged waits for surgeries.
Over the past five years, nearly £1 billion has been spent on these drugs, with annual spending rising from £90.1 million in 2019 to £186.2 million last year and an estimated £189 million this year. Based on current trends, total spending is expected to reach £1 billion early next year, according to data from Oxford University.
This increase in opioid prescriptions comes as NHS waiting lists for procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, have reached 7.64 million as of August. The Royal College of Surgeons warns that lengthy waits leave hundreds of thousands of patients living in pain, often relying on powerful drugs that put them at risk of long-term addiction.
A recent study found that longer wait times due to pandemic-related delays led to a 40% increase in opioid prescriptions. Research from Bristol University suggests that one in three individuals using prescription painkillers shows signs of dependency.
The popularity of the Emmy-winning show Dopesick has brought renewed attention to the opioid crisis, particularly through its portrayal of OxyContin and the mass addiction it triggered in the US. Opioids, such as codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and tramadol, can offer effective pain relief but carry significant risks when used for extended periods, according to the Daily Mail.
Professor Patrice Forget of Aberdeen University, who leads research on opioid use, emphasises the need to re-evaluate prescription practices. “We have to review the way they are prescribed by supporting people better when in pain, but not by extending prescriptions, because that doesn’t work,” he said. “It’s not unreasonable after surgery to use opioids like tramadol carefully, with a target—say to walk the dog—for a short period of time. But it is not good for a long period while you are waiting for surgery or after surgery.” He warns that post-pandemic opioid use has continued to rise by 5-10% per year, adding, “It is very significant, and we cannot say that this problem is contained or mitigated. It is clearly continuing to increase.”
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