The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7336 p169
12 February 2005

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Scheme cuts co-proxamol prescribing rates at PCT

A scheme developed by Mansfield District Primary Care Trust in Nottinghamshire has led to an 80 per cent reduction in co-proxamol prescribing rates and could be adopted by other primary care organisations to facilitate the withdrawal of co-proxamol announced last week (PJ, 5 February, p135).

The PCT drew up a policy with a local GP practice which included an agreement not to initiate co-proxamol prescribing in any new cases and to ask patients to change to alternative analgesics when attending surgery for other reasons. Letters were also sent to patients receiving repeat prescriptions for co-proxamol asking them to try an alternative, such as paracetamol.

The policy is now being used as a model for similar schemes across the whole PCT.

Liz Richardson, a prescribing technician at the PCT, said: “Anecdotal evidence had suggested that patients would find it difficult to stop taking co-proxamol.”

However, the project worked well and, of 438 patients prescribed co-proxamol, 69 per cent are now using an alternative form of pain relief and 9 per cent are no longer taking any pain relief.