Opioids are powerful painkillers that can help people through surgery, injury and serious illness. We’re proud to share that Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and NHS Greater Manchester have jointly won the Improving Medicines Safety award for the Greater Manchester Improving Opioid Stewardship Initiative, which helps make sure people get the right pain relief, for the right length of time. This helps to reduce the risk of harm that can happen with these medicines.
The award recognises a partnership between GPs and community services, hospitals, pain services, community pharmacies, universities, Health Innovation Manchester and NHS Greater Manchester. By working together, we’re reducing harm from opioid medicines and making care safer and more consistent for more than 3 million people.
Charlotte Skitterall, Group Chief Pharmacist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this national recognition. It reflects the hard work and commitment of colleagues in our Pharmacy Medicines Safety team, MFT and our Greater Manchester partners who have worked together to improve patient safety.
“Most importantly, this work is helping people receive safer, more joined-up care for pain, reducing the risk of harm and improving outcomes for patients across Greater Manchester.”
How we did it
- Leadership and shared data: Safe opioid use (“opioid stewardship”) became a shared medicines safety priority across Greater Manchester in 2023/24. Since then, teams have set up reporting routes to the integrated care board and shared prescribing data, so we can see what’s working and act together.
- Clear information when patients leave hospital: Together with our partners, we’ve agreed standards for what patients and their GPs should be told when an opioid is supplied at discharge: why it was prescribed, how long to take it, when it will be reviewed and who is responsible for follow-up.
- Education and resources: The Greater Manchester Medicines Management Group Pain Management Hub brings together practical guidance, patient information leaflets, safety updates and training. More than 400 professionals attended two Greater Manchester workshops, and 95% said they learned something they could use in practice.
- Greater Manchester Pain Collaborative: Hospital, GP, pain, pharmacy, medicines optimisation, academic and innovation teams work side by side to keep improving how opioids are used.
What this means for patients and staff
- Safer prescribing: Between October 2022 and September 2025, 4,001 fewer people in Greater Manchester received an opioid prescription (a 6.3% reduction) and 1,345 fewer people received a high-dose opioid (a 30% reduction). National modelling suggests that for every 62 people who stop, or avoid starting, an opioid, one life is saved.
- Safer transfers of care: Clear discharge information and review plans reduce the risk of a short-term treatment carrying on by mistake.
- Better support for patients: Consistent information helps people understand the benefits and risks of opioids and have a say in decisions about their care.
- More confident staff: Shared guidance, training and specialist advice help our teams follow good practice and give patients a more consistent experience.
- Better use of resources: Shared tools reduce duplication. Greater Manchester data suggest opioid prescribing costs were an estimated £2.21 million lower between June 2022 and June 2025. This is a modelled estimate and not a cash saving.
What our staff are doing
Our teams are following the agreed discharge standards and talking patients through the Greater Manchester patient information leaflet when they go home with an opioid. They record why it was prescribed and how long it should be taken.
These steps help support safer, more joined-up care across Greater Manchester.