We are currently reviewing pain management treatments in Barnsley so that we can make sure that the services we plan and buy meet the needs of our local communities.
If you currently or have previously used pain management services in Barnsley, we’d like to hear from you!
Many people struggle with long-term pain but help from the NHS and other pain services can help to lessen the pain, improve independence and help cope in general.
You may have a painful diagnosed condition such as arthritis or diabetes nerve pain or you may have a painful condition that medical science doesn't fully understand, such as long-term back pain.
There are two main types of pain.
- Acute pain, also known as short-term pain, is pain that has started recently.
- Chronic, or long-term pain, is pain that has lasted for three months or more.
If you have short-term (acute) pain, your GP will try to make a diagnosis and treat the pain.
If you have chronic/long-term pain it might be as a result of a diagnosed medical condition, a painful condition that is not yet fully understood or no underlying condition at all. This doesn't mean you don't have pain, but it does mean that a different approach to managing that pain might be helpful such as a referral to a pain management clinic/ service. (Information courtesy of NHS online).
What Pain Management Services are currently available for Barnsley people?
Most people in Barnsley access pain management clinics at a number of places, including local hospitals (including Sheffield and Doncaster) or a community-based service, although some patients do travel further afield and some also access services online.
At all of these places, the pain management service will have teams of staff from different medical areas, including occupational therapists, psychologists, doctors, nurses and physiotherapists. They all work together to help people with pain.
Pain clinic treatments vary but usually offer a variety of treatments aimed at relieving long-term pain, such as painkilling drugs; injections; Acupuncture and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Patients can be referred to a pain clinic by their GP or some other NHS professionals.
Why are we carrying out this review and how we will be collecting views and feedback?
Key to this review is for us to gain views and feedback from the people who are accessing these types of services and the professionals providing and referring into these services in Barnsley. The more examples and feedback we can get, the better we can ensure that future services meet the needs of the local people accessing them.
Two separate surveys have been compiled in order to gain feedback;
- Public survey for current and former patients of pain management services, carers and family members of someone who has/ does use pain management services in Barnsley
- Professionals survey for staff members and clinicians who both provide and refer into pain management services in Barnsley
In addition to the surveys, we are also looking to hold some online focus groups if possible with people who are currently accessing pain management services as well as doing some 1:1 interviews over the telephone where possible during July and early August.
