The service aims to support people living with persistent pain to develop the skills, confidence and strategies needed to manage their pain more effectively.

Our experienced multidisciplinary team includes medical, nursing, physiotherapy, psychology, mind-body and movement therapy specialists who work together to support people with persistent pain.

Pain affects people in many ways and can cause difficult and distressing symptoms. It can impact every part of life and is often unpredictable. It can also impact negatively on other health conditions, our mood, our relationships with family and friends, our view of ourselves, and our work and social activities.

Chronic pain is a long-term condition and whilst there is no cure, there are many ways to reduce its impact. By using a combination of approaches, people can improve their quality of life, increase their confidence and regain function. Because everyone's experience of pain is different, the strategies that work best will be tailored to your individual needs.

Our service can support you to:

• build confidence and skills in managing your pain
• increase your activity levels and work towards meaningful goals
• learn techniques to relax and manage stress
• improve your sleep and overall wellbeing
• develop strategies to cope with the emotional impact of pain, including addressing anxiety, low mood, frustration and embarrassment
• access appropriate support, resources and information to help you on your journey.

What happens when you first attend the Chronic Pain Service?

Your first contact with the service will usually be a group-based introductory education session. You can choose to attend either face-to-face or online, depending on what works best for you. During this session, you will learn more about persistent pain, our approach to pain management and the support available through our service.

Before attending, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire to help us better understand your needs. Following the session, you will have the opportunity to consider whether the service is the right fit for you and your goals.

If you decide you would like to continue, you will be offered a one-to-one assessment with a member of our clinical team. This appointment typically lasts 30 to 45 minutes and allows us to discuss your individual circumstances, goals and support needs in more detail.

What happens after the first appointment?

Following your first individual assessment, we will write to you with a summary of our discussion, the findings of the assessment and any agreed recommendations or next steps. A copy of this letter will also be shared with your GP and any other healthcare professionals involved in your care, where appropriate.

Your personalised plan may include support to:

• develop practical strategies to help you manage your pain and make sustainable long-term changes
• review your current medications and optimise their use where appropriate
• increase your understanding of persistent pain and learn ways to reduce its impact on your daily life.

Depending on your needs, we may also:

• discuss the potential benefits of attending our Pain Management Programme or completing an online self-management course
• signpost you to additional sources of support, such as pain support groups, health trainers or the Expert Patients Programme
• liaise with or refer you to other services where this may support your pain-management goals.

The Community Chronic Pain Service does not provide diagnostic investigations. We are unable to arrange scans, blood tests or other investigations. These should normally have been completed before referral to ensure that any necessary diagnostic assessment, surgical opinion or other specialist input has already been considered.

If we identify a need for further investigation during your consultation, we will inform your GP.

Please note that we do not provide medication prescriptions. Where appropriate, we may make suggestions to your GP in writing for their consideration.

Missed or cancelled appointments

If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible. If you cancel your appointment on two occasions with less than 24 hours' notice, you will be discharged from the service.

If you unexpectedly miss your appointment, please contact us by the end of the same working day. If you do not contact us, we will assume you no longer wish to attend and you will be discharged from the service. Please speak to your GP if you would like to access the service again.