DRAFT Management of neonatal pain

Families expect health care professionals to recognise, measure, prevent and treat pain in neonates, and health care professionals have a duty of care in this respect, especially in view of the adverse long-term effects of early pain exposure. Therefore, each neonatal service must establish guidelines and protocols to measure and treat pain, which include the use of non-pharmacological and pharmacological analgesic therapy.

This framework is intended as best practice guidance for all health care professionals working in neonatal services to help inform the development of local guidelines to support the management of neonatal pain.

We welcome your comments on this DRAFT document ahead of a final version being published later this year.

Deadline for comments: 2 July 2025.

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