Chronic Pain Programme
Information
Action for Pain is a primary care based, face to face, group programme currently available in South West Edinburgh. We are, however, open to referrals from other areas in Edinburgh for motivated patients. Action for Pain is a 6-week programme that educates participants on chronic pain and gives them support, advice and practical tools regarding lifestyle and psychologically based interventions that can help improve their pain. We aim to give hope to people with chronic pain. Hope that they can improve their pain and quality of life. Action for Pain is a collaborative project between the NHS and third sector. It is led by an NHS GP with a special interest in Chronic Pain and the Action for Pain co-ordinator who also has additional training in chronic pain and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
D.R.M. & L.H 21-02-25
Who can refer:
- Self-referrals are preferred. This ensures that patients are motivated to engage.
- Referrals can also be made by all health professionals (GPs, ANPs, Physios, Pharmacists, link workers etc).
Who to refer:
- Patients over 16 years of age with chronic primary pain i.e., pain that has no obvious structural cause. Examples include fibromyalgia or chronic primary low back pain. It may also include people who have some mild osteoarthritis or degenerative changes on Xray but whose pain experience is more severe than would be expected from these findings.
- People who are motivated to make changes and embrace new ways of approaching their pain.
Who not to refer:
- People < 16 years old
- People on the waiting list for surgery relevant to their pain (e.g. joint replacement surgery) or those with a clear underlying structural cause such as polymyalgia or active rheumatoid arthritis.
- People who are not motivated to change.
- People with high levels of emotional or psychological distress and who may require ongoing input from mental health services. Very complex patients with long term pain should be referred to secondary care pain services.
How to refer:
Referrrals are via email to the Action for Pain co-ordinator Aleksandra Zych.
Patients can email aleksandra@healthallround.org.uk
Healthcare Practitioners can email referrals to aleksandra.zych@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk with patient details and contact details. Further inforamtion about Action for Pain can be found at www.healthallround.org.uk
https://www.flippinpain.co.uk : Excellent resource for anyone with chronic pain
www.retrainpain.org : excellent website that clearly explains pain. Has information for both patients and professionals.
