Local and National NHS policies including Public Health England and the Faculty of Pain Medicine advise there is little evidence that opioids (morphine based pain killers, like codeine, tramadol, oxycodone) are helpful for long term pain and intermittent use may be of higher benefit. Like other opioids, codeine is associated with possible dependence and addiction and should only be continued where there is a clear benefit. Codeine and co-codamol are widely prescribed in Devon and data suggests that there is a greater number of high quantity prescriptions for codeine in comparison with areas nationally.
NHS Devon has recommended that we reduce codeine and co-codamol prescriptions to smaller quantities to ensure that use is safe and appropriate. “The lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time” and that we encourage patients to use nondrug measures to help manage their pain, such as those in the resources shown in the link below.
Date published: 25th June, 2026
Date last updated: 25th June, 2026
