As a Health and Social Care Partnership we are committed to ensuring that we prescribe effective and safe treatments. We provide regular reviews for patients who are taking medications long term.
We are writing to you as you are currently prescribed LIDOCAINE PLASTERS. Lidocaine plasters are licensed only for the short-term treatment of post-herpetic pain – that is pain that occurs following shingles infection. It is also used to treat other types of pain, but this use is unlicensed. This means that the long-term safety of using this product has not been established.
There is very little evidence that lidocaine plasters work for nerve or other types of pain.
It is for this reason that we now write to you with a view to reducing and discontinuing your use of these lidocaine patches. Use of the plasters often causes desensitisation of the nerve endings meaning continued use is unnecessary and many patients have found that discontinuing these plasters has led to no worsening of their pain control.
If you feel you need some extra help when discontinuing these patches, then please contact the practice who will organise an appointment with the pharmacist who will give you advice on how to manage your pain. We can also signpost to alternative resources of pain management.
Your lidocaine plasters will be removed from your repeat list for request. If you feel you need to continue on your plasters please contact the practice who will organise a conversation with the pharmacist.
Yours sincerely
Primary Care Pharmacy Team
on behalf of the GP Practice