Partners

The British Pain Society (BPS) is the UK’s largest multidisciplinary organisation dedicated to improving pain care. Our members span medicine, health, and research, united by a commitment to advancing care through education, advocacy, and collaboration. We work closely with people living with pain to ensure their voices shape our priorities and impact. Through strong partnerships, we support innovation, improve standards of care, and champion equitable access to effective pain care for all across the UK.

Our vision and goals:

• Live well with pain: We strive to improve pain prevention, appropriate and helpful management, and support for people living with pain.
• Education: Promote high-quality, accessible education for health and care professionals to improve understanding, clinical practice, and outcomes in pain management.
• Build capacity: Support and empower professionals with the latest tools, resources and training to improve practice and outcomes.
• Expand advocacy: Raise awareness of pain as a major public health issue, shape policy, and promote better understanding through lived experience.

Why partner with us?

Chronic pain: a major challenge for the UK

Chronic pain affects up to 1 in 2 adults in the UK, impacting mobility, mental health, social participation, and employment. It is one of the leading causes of disability and reduced quality of life across all age groups.

The estimated economic cost of chronic pain to the UK—through healthcare spending, lost productivity, and social support—is between £10–£12 billion per year.

In England alone, chronic pain affects around 15.5 million people—34% of the population.
• 5.5 million people (12%) experience high-impact chronic pain, significantly limiting their daily activities.
• 10 million people (22%) live with low-impact chronic pain.

People with high-impact chronic pain often face the most severe consequences, yet access to pain services remains inconsistent and unequal across the UK.

We are working with partners across the health and care system to raise awareness, promote equitable access to high-quality pain care, and improve outcomes for people living with pain.

Partner with us and...

• Join a trusted national voice in pain care
• Access our professional and lived experience networks, alongside exclusive data and survey insights
• Co-develop meaningful and impactful resources and initiatives
• Influence clinical guidance, education, and policy
• Demonstrate your commitment to health equity and innovation

Collaboration is at the heart of the British Pain Society’s mission. By working together with clinicians, researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and people with lived experience, we can change how pain is understood and managed.

We collaborate with professionals, people with lived experience, and organisations across the UK to shape pain policy, practice, and public understanding. Highlights include:

• UK Pain Messages – leading a national conversation on the burden of pain and what good pain care looks like
• Publications and collaborations – our multidisciplinary publications involve healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and people with lived experience. Examples include collaboration with the Association of Anaesthetists to write Post-Operative Pain Management Guidance – national guidance to improve outcomes after surgery.
• Patient leaflets and educational materials – practical, easy-to-understand resources such as Managing pain after surgery and Managing your pain effectively using over the counter medicines, designed to support patients in their pain self-management
• Opioids Aware website – a key partner in shaping prescribing practices through evidence-based guidance and education
• Media and public awareness campaigns – featured on Channel 5, BBC Radio, and regularly feature across national health campaigns such as Mediaplanet health supplements in The Guardian
• ITN business partnerships – high-impact videos and interviews shared through national platforms to raise awareness of pain management
• Lived Experience Collective – a diverse UK-wide network of people living with pain who inform BPS work and collaborate on strategy, events, and outputs

The BPS has identified six core priorities that will shape our partnerships and initiatives:

These areas shape all BPS partnerships and activities:

1. Multidisciplinary collaboration – Promote integrated, person-centred care.
2. Education and training – Provide up-to-date knowledge, skills, and resources.
3. Research and innovation – Support inclusive, high-quality research with real-world impact.
4. Quality improvement – Drive up standards through national initiatives and benchmarking.
5. Person-centred approaches – Ensure people living with pain shape strategy and delivery.
6. Support for health and care professionals – Promote wellbeing, mentorship, and professional networks.

Learn more about our strategy

As a partner, you will benefit from a tailored engagement approach designed to maximise shared value. This can mean:

• Acknowledgement of your support
• Use of the BPS logo
• Access to professionals across the pain community – including multidisciplinary clinicians and academic researchers
• Access to the Expert Patient and Carer Committee and the Lived Experience Collective (a large group of people living with pain who engage with and support the BPS)
• Access to unique data, surveys, and insights gathered from our membership, healthcare professionals, and people with lived experience to inform evidence-based initiatives and strategic decisions
• Collaborating in development of bespoke project
• Co-branding on strategic outputs (e.g. reports, webinars, guidance)
• Joint press releases
• Opportunities to co-create education or training for healthcare professionals
• Partner spotlight opportunities through BPS media features and digital campaigns
• Hyperlinked mentions in BPS campaigns, newsletters, and website

We are keen to build trustworthy, sustainable partnerships with organisations that align with our mission and values.

Education and professional development:
The British Pain Society (BPS) provides education and professional development programs for health and care providers, and researchers, helping to enhance standards in pain management. Our Annual Scientific Meeting, webinars, online resources, and special interest groups foster continuous learning and skills enhancement across diverse specialties.

What support could look like?

• Sponsorship of education and training, webinars, and the Annual Scientific Meeting
• Collaborative development of evidence-based resources and guidelines for pain management

Advocacy and awareness:
BPS collaborates with governmental and professional organisations to elevate pain as a healthcare priority, addressing disparities in care and supporting policies that improve access to appropriate pain treatments by informed practitioners. Our partnerships with the NHS, third sector, and other stakeholders reinforce our mission to ensure equitable access to effective pain management.

What support could look like?

• Joint campaigns to raise awareness of pain as a major healthcare issue
• Engagement with policymakers to influence health policies and access to pain services

Research and clinical excellence:
Through partnerships and funding initiatives, the BPS promotes research on pain mechanisms and treatment modalities, supporting evidence-based practices that improve patient outcomes. Our commitment to research keeps us at the forefront of innovation in pain care.

What support could look like?

• Funding and supporting translational, scientific, and clinical research initiatives on pain care
• Collaborative projects aimed at improving evidence-based care

Patient and public engagement:
Recognising the importance of lived experience, the BPS integrates patient perspectives through our Expert Patient and Carer Committee and Lived Experience Collective, ensuring patient needs shape our advocacy and service delivery.

What support could look like?

• Integrating the voices of people with pain into service design and education
• Expanding our Lived Experience Collective (LEC) to inform research and advocacy efforts

Data and insights collaboration

The BPS collects and analyses valuable data through surveys, research, and feedback from our diverse membership and lived experience networks. Partners can gain access to these insights to support market understanding, research, and tailored project development.

What support could look like:

• Sharing tailored survey data and analytics to inform partner initiatives
• Jointly designing research questions and data collection to address shared goals
• Using BPS insights to guide evidence-based policy or educational programs

All BPS partnerships are underpinned by principles of:

• Transparency – Clear, public acknowledgement of all partnerships
• Independence – BPS maintains full editorial and strategic independence
• Integrity – We align only with partners who share our ethical standards and public health goals
• Compliance – All partnerships comply with relevant industry codes (e.g., ABPI, BIVDA, Charity Commission guidance)

Each collaboration is supported by a formal agreement, with shared objectives and measurable outcomes.