From time to time, the Society produces position statements or reports/guidance on a variety of topics, which can be viewed on this page.
Useful Articles and Reports
Pain Platform Follow Up Report
Chronic Pain Policy Coalition 2019 Pain Platform:Chronic Pain: Patient Voice and the NHS Long-Term Plan
A national patient centric Pain Platform around chronic pain in England, hosted by the CPPC and its partners
On 25th June 2019 a national patient centric Pain Platform meeting around chronic pain in England took place at the House of Lords.
The discussion on the day focused on the impact of chronic pain on individuals and society, and actionable policy solutions that will seek to improve the lives of those with chronic pain. Please see report from the event here.
Chronic Pain Policy Coalition 2019 Pain Platform:Chronic Pain: Patient Voice and the NHS Long-Term Plan
A national patient centric Pain Platform around chronic pain in England, hosted by the CPPC and its partners
On 25th June 2019 a national patient centric Pain Platform meeting around chronic pain in England took place at the House of Lords.
The discussion on the day focused on the impact of chronic pain on individuals and society, and actionable policy solutions that will seek to improve the lives of those with chronic pain. Please see report from the event here.
Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate Education: EPM Lite
The Essential Pain Management Programme (EPM) was originally developed in Australia and New Zealand by Roger Goucke and Wayne Morriss as an educational tool for health care workers in low- and middle-income countries. The first course was held in Papua New Guinea in April 2010. In 2013, the EPM UK Working Group was established, with the purpose of running EPM courses across Africa. EPM Lite is a scaled-down version of the full EPM course, and is designed to be delivered to medical undergraduates in half a day. It was developed with the additional help of Linda Huggins, a UK pain medicine trained anaesthetist now working as a Palliative Medicine Specialist in New Zealand. The UK Faculty of Pain Medicine took on introducing EPM Lite as a project in 2014, and the first UK EPM Lite course was held in Bristol in September that year. The course helps students understand classifications of pain, why pain should be treated, and an overview of different drug and non-drug treatments. The half day course is flexible as the content and timings can be amended to suit group size and level of teaching.
Currently delivered through the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, further information can be found on their website at: https://www.fpm.ac.uk/faculty-of-pain-medicine/essential-pain-management/epm-lite.
Undergraduate Education: EPM Lite
The Essential Pain Management Programme (EPM) was originally developed in Australia and New Zealand by Roger Goucke and Wayne Morriss as an educational tool for health care workers in low- and middle-income countries. The first course was held in Papua New Guinea in April 2010. In 2013, the EPM UK Working Group was established, with the purpose of running EPM courses across Africa. EPM Lite is a scaled-down version of the full EPM course, and is designed to be delivered to medical undergraduates in half a day. It was developed with the additional help of Linda Huggins, a UK pain medicine trained anaesthetist now working as a Palliative Medicine Specialist in New Zealand. The UK Faculty of Pain Medicine took on introducing EPM Lite as a project in 2014, and the first UK EPM Lite course was held in Bristol in September that year. The course helps students understand classifications of pain, why pain should be treated, and an overview of different drug and non-drug treatments. The half day course is flexible as the content and timings can be amended to suit group size and level of teaching.
Currently delivered through the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, further information can be found on their website at: https://www.fpm.ac.uk/faculty-of-pain-medicine/essential-pain-management/epm-lite.
NHS England - Important information in relation to prescribing and dispensing pregabalin
In March 2015, NHS England published guidance about the prescribing and dispensing of pregabalin for neuropathic pain.
Please click here to read the full guidance.
In March 2015, NHS England published guidance about the prescribing and dispensing of pregabalin for neuropathic pain.
Please click here to read the full guidance.
Pain Patient Pathways
BPS Pain Patient Pathways Microsite
With the aim of establishing normal patterns of management for chronic pain sufferers, the British Pain Society has been working to produce several new pain patient pathways. These are based upon NICE guidelines, scientific evidence and other published guidelines where possible. These pathways can be used to support care and commissioning.
Please note that the Map of Medicine portal does not exist anymore. However if you need any of the documents please contact the Secretariat.
There are five in total:
- Initial assessment and early management of pain
- Spinal pain
- Pelvic pain
- Chronic widespread pain, including fibromyalgia
- Neuropathic pain.
Comments
We welcome feedback on the pathways and are pleased to receive your comments. We will process your comments as follows:
- All comments received will initially be reviewed by the Pathway Working Party for that pathway.
- Comments deemed urgent will be addressed at the earliest available opportunity (usually once a month, mid-month in-line with Map of Medicine publishing dates).
- Other comments seen as relevant, but not urgent, will be collated and considered by the Pathway Review Working Party alongside the Chairs of the relevant Pathway Working Groups, at the time of the agreed review period (being 18 months from publication date) and any changes made as appropriate.
Please email your comments to: [email protected].
Further Information
If you would like any further information, or have any comments regarding this project, please email [email protected]
BPS Pain Patient Pathways Microsite
With the aim of establishing normal patterns of management for chronic pain sufferers, the British Pain Society has been working to produce several new pain patient pathways. These are based upon NICE guidelines, scientific evidence and other published guidelines where possible. These pathways can be used to support care and commissioning.
Please note that the Map of Medicine portal does not exist anymore. However if you need any of the documents please contact the Secretariat.
There are five in total:
- Initial assessment and early management of pain
- Spinal pain
- Pelvic pain
- Chronic widespread pain, including fibromyalgia
- Neuropathic pain.
Comments
We welcome feedback on the pathways and are pleased to receive your comments. We will process your comments as follows:
- All comments received will initially be reviewed by the Pathway Working Party for that pathway.
- Comments deemed urgent will be addressed at the earliest available opportunity (usually once a month, mid-month in-line with Map of Medicine publishing dates).
- Other comments seen as relevant, but not urgent, will be collated and considered by the Pathway Review Working Party alongside the Chairs of the relevant Pathway Working Groups, at the time of the agreed review period (being 18 months from publication date) and any changes made as appropriate.
Please email your comments to: [email protected].
Further Information
If you would like any further information, or have any comments regarding this project, please email [email protected]
e-PAIN: first two modules now online
Thousands of people are affected by acute or chronic pain every year in the UK. For some this is short term due to illness or injury, for others chronic pain is a way of life. The National Pain Audit highlighted the inconsistencies with which pain is managed across primary and secondary care and, despite recent advances in both areas, patients are often referred too late for these services to make any significant difference.
e-PAIN is a multi-disciplinary programme designed to improve the early diagnosis and management of pain. The programme is aimed at all NHS healthcare professionals who do not specialise in pain medicine, but regularly encounter patients suffering from acute or chronic pain. Staff will learn to:
• recognise unrelieved acute and chronic pain
• assess pain
• manage pain
• recognise and manage patient safety issues in relation to pain relieving techniques.
The programme consists of engaging and highly interactive 30 minute e-learning sessions and assessments. All training is recorded in the learning management system and can be used as evidence of continuing professional development.
The programme includes training modules on: Basic Pain Management, Basic Science, Pharmacological and Nonpharmacological Treatment, Acute Pain, Neuropathic/Nerve Pain and Cancer Pain. The first two modules ‘Basic Pain Management’ and ‘Basic Science’ are now online, with the remaining modules being released over the next six months.
Dr Douglas Justins, Clinical Lead for e-PAIN says: ‘This exciting and important project will help improve the recognition, assessment and safe treatment of unrelieved pain resulting in the significant improvement of patient care.’
The e-PAIN programme has been developed by the Faculty of Pain Medicine in partnership with the British Pain Society and e-Learning for Healthcare. The official launch will be held on Tuesday 3rd December at the Royal College of Anaesthetists. The launch event will demonstrate the programme’s benefits to patients and health professionals and will
provide an opportunity for hands-on experience.
For more information please see the following website:
e-Learning for Healthcare http://www.e-lfh.org.uk/projects/pain-management
Notes to Editors:
The Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists is the professional body responsible for the training, assessment, practice and continuing professional development of specialist medical practitioners in the management of pain in the UK. It supports a multi-disciplinary approach to pain management informed by evidence-based practice and research. For more information, please visit:http://www.fpm.ac.uk
e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH) is a Health Education England programme in partnership with the NHS and professional bodies, providing high quality e-learning content for the training of the healthcare workforce across the UK. For more information, please visit
http://www.e-lfh.org.uk
The British Pain Society is the largest multidisciplinary professional organisation in the field of pain within the UK and aims to promote education, training, research and development in all fields of pain. It endeavours to increase both professional and public awareness of the prevalence of pain and the facilities that are available for its management. For more information, please visit:http://www.britishpainsociety.org/
Thousands of people are affected by acute or chronic pain every year in the UK. For some this is short term due to illness or injury, for others chronic pain is a way of life. The National Pain Audit highlighted the inconsistencies with which pain is managed across primary and secondary care and, despite recent advances in both areas, patients are often referred too late for these services to make any significant difference.
e-PAIN is a multi-disciplinary programme designed to improve the early diagnosis and management of pain. The programme is aimed at all NHS healthcare professionals who do not specialise in pain medicine, but regularly encounter patients suffering from acute or chronic pain. Staff will learn to:
• recognise unrelieved acute and chronic pain
• assess pain
• manage pain
• recognise and manage patient safety issues in relation to pain relieving techniques.
The programme consists of engaging and highly interactive 30 minute e-learning sessions and assessments. All training is recorded in the learning management system and can be used as evidence of continuing professional development.
The programme includes training modules on: Basic Pain Management, Basic Science, Pharmacological and Nonpharmacological Treatment, Acute Pain, Neuropathic/Nerve Pain and Cancer Pain. The first two modules ‘Basic Pain Management’ and ‘Basic Science’ are now online, with the remaining modules being released over the next six months.
Dr Douglas Justins, Clinical Lead for e-PAIN says: ‘This exciting and important project will help improve the recognition, assessment and safe treatment of unrelieved pain resulting in the significant improvement of patient care.’
The e-PAIN programme has been developed by the Faculty of Pain Medicine in partnership with the British Pain Society and e-Learning for Healthcare. The official launch will be held on Tuesday 3rd December at the Royal College of Anaesthetists. The launch event will demonstrate the programme’s benefits to patients and health professionals and will
provide an opportunity for hands-on experience.
For more information please see the following website:
e-Learning for Healthcare http://www.e-lfh.org.uk/projects/pain-management
Notes to Editors:
The Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists is the professional body responsible for the training, assessment, practice and continuing professional development of specialist medical practitioners in the management of pain in the UK. It supports a multi-disciplinary approach to pain management informed by evidence-based practice and research. For more information, please visit:http://www.fpm.ac.uk
e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH) is a Health Education England programme in partnership with the NHS and professional bodies, providing high quality e-learning content for the training of the healthcare workforce across the UK. For more information, please visit
http://www.e-lfh.org.uk
The British Pain Society is the largest multidisciplinary professional organisation in the field of pain within the UK and aims to promote education, training, research and development in all fields of pain. It endeavours to increase both professional and public awareness of the prevalence of pain and the facilities that are available for its management. For more information, please visit:http://www.britishpainsociety.org/
National Pain Audit - October 2013
Final Report
October 2013
Launched at the autumn reception of the All Party Group on Chronic Pain, 12:30 on 29th October 2013.
Final Report
October 2013
Launched at the autumn reception of the All Party Group on Chronic Pain, 12:30 on 29th October 2013.
National Pain Audit - December 2012
Final Report
December 2012
Launched in Pain Less exhibition at the Science Museum, 19:00 on 17th December 2012
Final Report
December 2012
Launched in Pain Less exhibition at the Science Museum, 19:00 on 17th December 2012
Putting pain on the agenda: The report from the first England Pain Summit
Launched in the House of Commons on 4 July 2012
Report
Launched in the House of Commons on 4 July 2012
Report
Pain Summit 2011
National Pain Audit - Phase 1
BUPA Back Pain Policy
Letter in response to invitation to comment on the BUPA Back Pain Policy Review.
Letter in response to invitation to comment on the BUPA Back Pain Policy Review.
Survey of undergraduate pain curricula for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.
October 2009
A short report.
Click here to read the survey report.
The Pain Education SIG of the British Pain Society.
Principal Investigators:
Dr Eloise Carr
Dr Emma Briggs
Ms Maggie Whittaker
October 2009
A short report.
Click here to read the survey report.
The Pain Education SIG of the British Pain Society.
Principal Investigators:
Dr Eloise Carr
Dr Emma Briggs
Ms Maggie Whittaker
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)
June 2009
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Documents: Long-term conditions positive practice guide & Medically unexplained symptoms positive practice guide.
British Pain Society Response to the Department of Health IAPT documents.
June 2009
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Documents: Long-term conditions positive practice guide & Medically unexplained symptoms positive practice guide.
British Pain Society Response to the Department of Health IAPT documents.
Pain in Accident & Emergency
Letter to Anna Walker CB, Chief Executive, Healthcare Commission
January 2009
Letter in response to the Accident and Emergency Patient Survey results.
Please note the link in the letter is now incorrect, to access the pain scales please click here
Letter to Anna Walker CB, Chief Executive, Healthcare Commission
January 2009
Letter in response to the Accident and Emergency Patient Survey results.
Please note the link in the letter is now incorrect, to access the pain scales please click here