Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ensure that individuals prescribed opioid medication for chronic pain have their prescriptions reviewed on an annual basis.

The General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) ethical guidance Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices (2013) sets out that with all prescriptions, it is expected that clinicians make sure that suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring, follow-up and review, taking account of the patients’ needs and any risks arising from the medicines.

A copy of the GMC guidance is attached.