Opioid use in hospice and palliative care is generally thought to be safe, and patients are not considered to be at a significant risk of addiction (Pinkerton and Hardy, 2017). However, ongoing concerns about the overuse of opioids have led to a global reduction in prescribing (Franklin et al, 2013; Bao et al, 2016). In light of this, given how important effective pain relief is for people at the end of life, research is needed to consider how these policies are affecting opioid prescribing in palliative care. Borders et al's (2021) study is a literature review which reveals that clinicians lack the knowledge, confidence and experience to manage opioids for end-of-life patients. Family caregivers were also concerned about the possibility of their loved one becoming addicted to opioids. This suggests that pain management for hospice and palliative care patients needs to be improved. It is crucial that patients at the end of life are offered safe and effective pain relief, and that policies intended to encourage greater scrutiny on the necessity of prescribing opioids do not discourage clinicians from prescribing effective pain relief for patients in need.
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