The Aword

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Pain Clinics

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In 2001, Dr. Steve Gilbert, a pain specialist, in a petition to Scottish Parliament about services for patients with chronic pain, wrote:

" To my knowledge, many pain doctors have repeatedly put a case to their hospitals for establishment of a proper multidisciplinary pain clinic, only to be told that pain is not a priority.

This has resulted in most pain doctors continuing to run a makeshift service, putting in many unpaid hours, not providing patients with the best treatment and suffering stress themselves...the end result is that many patients either have to endure pain without specialist help or are forced to make long journeys for treatment."


The Royal College of Anaesthetists recommends a minimum of 10 consultant CP sessions per 100,000 people

The Royal College of Anaesthetists recommends a minimum of 10 consultant CP sessions per 100,000 people

Actual figures are: 1-2 per 100,000 ([1])

Pain management is denuded of its resources to keep emergency services running.

  • Over a third of consultants are working alone, therefore not running an interdisciplinary service
  • Only ? pain services have specialist pain nurse
  • Support staff (clerical etc.) are not available
  • Training is threatened by need to plug service gaps