Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to limit the prescription of Tramadol.

The Department expects all clinicians to act responsibly when prescribing schedule three drugs such as Tramadol. The responsibility for prescribing and any necessary follow-up rests with the doctor or prescriber who has clinical responsibility for that particular aspect of a patient's care. Decisions on which drugs are prescribed should be based on clinical assessments. Good communication between practitioners and patients is essential and prescribers should always involve patients in decisions about the treatment proposed, including informing them of any possible side effects from their prescribed medicines.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published advice on the use of Tramadol in 2013. This advice can be found at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/144116/advice-tramadol.pdf

Advice to prescribers includes warnings that repeated use is associated with psychological and physical dependence.