Background Opioids have an important role in symptom management for people with advanced cancer. Clinical guidelines recommend patient education to ensure the safe use of opioids; however, no Australian studies have explored current education and safeguarding practices when opioids are initiated to advanced cancer patients. Aims To investigate risk assessment, safeguarding and education practices when opioids are first prescribed to advanced lung cancer patients. Methods A retrospective medical record audit of outpatients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer seen at a tertiary Australian hospital between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019 and prescribed strong opioids for cancer‐related symptoms. Results Of 1022 patients attending the lung cancer clinic, 205 were newly initiated on an opioid. Opioid‐related risks including previous recreational drug use (28; 13.6%) and history of falls (16; 7.9%) were infrequently documented. Opioid‐related safeguards and adverse effects management were variably instituted: written general practitioner correspondence at opioid initiation (62; 30%), clinic follow up (186; 91%) and laxative co‐prescription (55; 26.8%). Most patients (137; 66.8%) received no documented opioid education on drug initiation. There was no association between age (P = 0.653), number of comorbidities (P = 0.569) or chronic alcohol use (P = 0.263) and the provision of education on opioid initiation. Palliative care doctors or nurse practitioners were eight times more likely to document opioid education than medical oncologists (odds ratio = 8.5; confidence interval = 2.9–24.8; P < 0.0001). Conclusion Guideline‐recommended risk assessment, safeguards and patient education were infrequently documented when opioids were initiated. Clinician training, decision‐assist prompts in electronic prescribing software and written education resources for patients may address these gaps in care.

ObjectivesOpioids may impair the ability to drive safely, particularly when first prescribed or with dose titration. We investigated whether clinicians evaluate driving status and provide opioid-related driving advice when initiating opioids among people with advanced lung cancer.MethodsA retrospective medical record review of outpatients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer seen at an Australian tertiary referral centre between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019 was undertaken to determine frequency of opioid prescription and documentation of driving status and education regarding driving safety while taking opioids.ResultsOf 1022 patients screened, 205 were commenced on opioid therapy. Forty-seven (23%) patients had driving status documented. According to medical records, education about driving safety while on opioids was provided to two (1%) patients on opioid initiation. Ten (5%) patients received opioid-related driving education at least once at follow-up appointments. The content of the education was infrequently documented, and when documented, focused on opioid side effects impacting driving. Opioid doses were often escalated at follow-up appointments.ConclusionsAccording to documentation in medical records, clinicians infrequently assessed driving status on opioid initiation and rarely provided education regarding opioid-related driving risks. Further research and clearer guidance regarding opioids and driving safety in the cancer population are required.