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Patient information leaflets should be made available to provide information on analgesia in general, and on specialised analgesic techniques such as epidural analgesia, nerve blocks, specialist drug infusions and patient controlled analgesia.⁷⁴

Patient information should be available in formats that take into account the information needs of patients listed in 3.6 and they should be accessible electronically.

Leaflets should explain pain management after discharge, including a step down analgesic plan and how further supplies of medicine can be obtained. Patient information should emphasise the need to avoid harm from long term strong opioid use and give clear advice on the impact of analgesics on driving, acknowledging the current DVLA guidance.^75,76

Patients should provide informed consent for invasive analgesic procedures, and this must be documented following the GMC advice on informed consent.^77,79

Patient education regarding expectation of pain and analgesia after surgery should be given to all patients in the preoperative period.

Responsible opioid stewardship should be practiced as described by the Faculty of Pain Medicine Opioids Aware guidelines and Surgery and Opioid: Best Practice Guidelines 2021. ⁵⁴ Leaflets should be available for patients on opioids.²⁸

Patients receiving high dose opioids should be identified in the pre-operative period and referred to specialist services to reduce their opioid use and manage their pre-existing pain issues.⁵⁴

Information about airway and breathing such as the Royal College of Anaesthetist’s ‘Your airway and breathing during anaesthesia’ leaflet should be available.⁵²

A clinical lead (see glossary) for head and neck anaesthesia should be appointed in each hospital providing anaesthetic services for head and neck surgery.^1,4