Around four times as many high-dose opioid painkillers are prescribed in the North East and Yorkshire compared to London, amid reports highlighting a "North-South Divide" in use of the addictive pills.
The figures come from the Open Prescribing website - and show that the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) NHS area has seen among the highest levels of opioid prescribing in the country. Opioids include drugs like morphine and tramadol, with illegal opioids including heroin. This comes as health experts highlight the link between deprivation and chronic pain.
According to the site, while the practice has fallen since 2017, the area covered by the NENC Integrated Care Board remains among the worst 10% of areas for prescribing opiates. And there are also worryingly high levels of prescribing of an alternative - pregabalin - which "can produce feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness" and exacerbate the effects of opioids, according to advice website Talk To Frank.
