The pain scale – which launched this month – is available as a print-out or as a counter-top mat to display in the pharmacy, the manufacturer said.

Patients can use the scale to define their level of pain from one to 10, so pharmacy staff can then identify the right treatment, Perrigo added.

According to Perrigo’s survey of 1,000 patients, 27% said it is “hard to articulate how their pain feels”, the manufacturer said.

The mat is part of a suite of training materials Perrigo has launched to help pharmacy teams “make recommendations in a responsible and confident way when it comes to stronger pain relief”.

The Perrigo survey also found that just 48% of respondents know that codeine or co-codamol products are available over the counter in pharmacies, the manufacturer added.

Perrigo training manager Lynne Roberts said: “We will share these [training materials] with pharmacies through our sales force and then through bespoke mailing.”

To view a PDF of the pain scale, click here.

For more information on Solpadeine, visit its website here.