Living with chronic pain can limit your ability to live and work, yet it is a reality for millions of people in England. Find out the problems people are facing and what services can do to better support people living with pain.
For millions of people in England, chronic pain is a daily reality. From back problems and arthritis to fibromyalgia, injuries, and the after-effects of surgery or cancer, pain can be a constant burden.
Living with chronic pain limits your ability to live and work, it can feel isolating and has a negative impact on people’s mental health. Research on participants from the UK Biobank estimates that nearly half (46%) of people with widespread chronic pain have also experienced depression. Ensuring people have the right support from the NHS to manage pain and protect wellbeing is therefore vital.
This kind of support spans different parts of the NHS, such as:
Initial help from GPs, or practice-based physiotherapists to whom patients may be able to self-refer.
Hospital-based multidisciplinary pain clinics, staffed by multidisciplinary teams that may include pain consultants, physios, specialist nurses, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and pharmacists.
Highly specialist national services for very complex patients.
