Lessons Learnt from Establishing a High dOse Opioid Review Clinic for People Living with HIV

Abstract

People living with HIV represent a unique aging population, living with a chronic condition associated with significant pain. A number take high dose, long-term opioids to manage moderate to severe chronic pain, presenting specific risks. This article highlights the size and impact of this problem and outlines the service objectives and set up of a specialist clinic to manage people living with HIV on high dose opioids, alongside its successes and learning points.

Keywords::

• chronic pain
• HIV
• opioids
• service development

Author’s contributions

H Laycock, V Crawford, A Rice and S Cox all contributed to the concept and design of the work. H Laycock drafted the work. H Laycock, V Crawford, A Rice and S Cox all revised the work, approved the final version and are accountable for the work.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.