Chronic Pain Management Service

Our physiotherapists can help you to:

• Understand persistent pain and what involvement the nervous system has with our pain
• Come to terms with long term pain
• Understand how to manage your daily life and demands with persistent pain (pacing)
• Set valued goals to work towards the things in life that pain is currently having an impact on e.g. hobbies, work
• Be active with persistent pain
• Sleep when you live with persistent pain
• Incorporate evidenced techniques like relaxation and mindfulness to help manage pain.
• Manage setbacks (also known as flare ups) when you have persistent pain

Our specialist Pain Consultants can offer a wide range of advanced treatment techniques that include:

• Injections
• Medication reviews
• Denervation techniques

Our pharmacist has years of experience helping people with persistent pain to:

• Optimise medical management
• Understand the role of medication in your management

Psychologists working in pain services aim to:

• Support people to understand and manage the impact that living with persistent pain can have on their emotional wellbeing
• Help people to live meaningfully alongside their experience of pain
• Help you to think about how pain affects various different areas of your life, and the changes that you might like to make to this 

Some examples of this might include returning to previously enjoyed activities, improving the relationships and connections you have with the people around you, or spending time talking through and working towards accepting the journey you have been on in relation to your experience of pain.

The chronic pain nurse is an independent professional who is a part of multi-professional team. This role includes the following:

• Conducting Qutenza clinics for the treatment of chronic focal neuropathic pain
• Providing holistic follow-up sessions for all interventions such as injections, nerve blocks.
• Acting as patient’s case co-ordinator, communicating with the team, attending the multi-professional treatment team meetings.
• Assisting with complex case interventions such as cervical facet joints denervation in outpatient clinics.
• Reviewing the patient’s progress, helping with evaluating and monitoring the treatment outcomes, educating the patients with medicines, self-management, group therapy programmes when appropriate.
• Supporting or leading service evaluation, audit and research projects within the pain management service

The Pain Management Program (PMP) is a 6 week education program, for 3 hours per week. There is NO role play within the group, you are free to share your experiences if you wish, but you don't have to.

You will be referred into the program following a discussion with someone in the service. The groups take place in various locations, at either Burton, Lichfield or Stonydelph. More information on clinic locations can be found on our My Appointment section.

The aim of the program is to promote self-management strategies to reduce the impact of chronic pain and to improve your quality of life. It also offers you the opportunity to:

• Meet others with chronic pain
• Improve your understanding of chronic pain
• Help you manage the distress associated with pain
• Increase your confidence in being able to do things

To get the most out of PMP you need to be:

• Open minded
• Prepared to take ownership of your pain management
• Ready to identify and challenge unhelpful ways of managing your pain
• Ready to set realistic goals
• In a position to make changes

More information about the PMP can be found on our What is a Pain Management Programme (patient information leaflet)

The group is based on a Compassion Focused Therapy approach. The aim of the group is to explore an understanding of our emotional systems and how they are affected when living with a long-term health condition. The group aims to support the building of skills and strategies to respond to health challenges from a more Compassionate stance, developing skills to bring balance to the emotional systems by increasing soothing, down regulating the body’s threat system and also overcoming barriers to manageable goals. The Compassion for Living with Persistent Pain Group is delivered in weekly sessions for 8 weeks. Each session will last up to 2 hours. The group is currently delivered in a virtual group setting.

More information about the Compassion for Living with Persistent Pain Group can be found in the Compassion for Living with Persistent Pain Group (patient information leaflet).

Tai Chi Chuan is a suitable form of exercise for many people with chronic pain. It is gentle, involving slow, smooth, flowing movements which can help to quieten the mind and bring physical benefits. Tai Chi offers a way of improving pain, physical ability, relaxation and your general sense of well-being.

Tai Chi classes run for 6 weeks on a weekly basis, and you are expected to attend all 6 sessions. Sessions last for 1 hour. During the class, there will be opportunities for frequent breaks. To get the most out of the class, you will need to practice for a short time each day at home.

Tai Chi does not require any special equipment, but please come dressed in comfortable loose clothing, and footwear that is appropriate for some gentle physical activity (flat and closed-in, without a flared heel is best). Please bring a drink of water with you.

You will be asked to complete a short questionnaire before you join the class, and again at the end. This will allow us to monitor your progress, as well as the effectiveness of the class.

You will also be asked to complete a short feedback form at the end of the course. This is anonymous and will be used to improve our service to patients.

Once the Pain Management Team have received your referral, it will be triaged to an appropriate Health Care Professional, and you will receive a letter to confirm that your referral has been received.

You will then receive another letter asking you to contact the team to make an appointment if you still require one. An assessment will then be booked with one of the team to work with you to see what support is available to help you manage your pain.

Prior to your first appointment you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is used to assess the severity of pain and the impact of the pain on your daily functions. This helps the Health Care Professional gain a greater understanding of how the pain is affecting you. You will be asked to provide the numbers of your answers to your Health Care Professional at the start of your assessment.

Initial assessments are usually done on the telephone. Please ensure you are in a private and quiet location for your telephone appointment so that you can talk freely, and you are able to answer the sensitive and personal questions that may be asked as part of your assessment. Also try to be somewhere that has good telephone or internet connection. If you are not in a suitable location, then your appointment may have to be rearranged for a more convenient time.

If there is someone else with you listening to the phone call, please make your Health Care Professional aware of this so that it can be documented in your notes.

The best outcomes happen when we work together. Being prepared for your appointment will help both of us get the most out of your appointments:

• Think about what you are expecting from the appointment and have some clear goals about what you want to achieve.
• Be prepared to answer questions, and think of some questions you may want to ask. It’s ok not to know
• Make a note of all your current medications and any other health conditions you have/have had in the past
• Be open minded and flexible to thinking differently about managing pain
• Be willing to make some changes for your management strategies to be most effective

You and your Health Care professional will come up with a plan together to identify the best way forward to living better with your pain. This will be summarised in a tailored letter that will be sent out to you after your initial appointment and it will outline the next steps that have been agreed.

Please have the following with you:

• A list of your current drugs/medicines.
• Depending if your appointment is telephone, video or face to face, wear or bring appropriate clothing so that you can be examined effectively. If you have a leg or back problem you may want to wear or bring shorts/tracksuit trousers and a T-shirt. If you have an arm or neck problem you may want to wear or bring a vest top with you. If you have any questions about what needs to be examined and why please just ask.
• You may want to have a friend or family member with you, or another staff member can chaperone, please just ask.
• We have male and female therapists, so if you have a preference please let us know prior to attending for your appointment. 
• Any previous medical letters relating to your current problem, results of X-rays or scans (If you have them)

If attending a face to face appointment, please arrive at least 5 minutes before your appointment, this allows you to book yourself in at the reception desk and fill out any necessary paperwork. If you arrive more than 10 minutes after your appointment time your Health Care Professional may not be able to see you.

If your appointment is telephone or video, please ensure you are in a private and quiet location so that you can talk freely and you may have to do some movements. Also try to be somewhere that has good telephone or internet connection.

Clinicians sometimes run a little early or late, so your appointment time is a guide only. We will endeavour to call you as close to your appointed time as possible, and appreciate your flexibility.

The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is a self-administered assessment tool used in pain management. The basic aim of the BPI is to record information on the intensity of pain, along with the degree to which the pain interferes with the everyday functioning of life.

To get the most out of your assessment with the team, please complete The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) before your first appointment.

It is important for you to keep your appointment but sometimes it is not possible or you may no longer need it.  If you need to re-arrange or cancel your appointment, please contact our admin team on 01283 507131 so that we can offer that appointment to another person. 

Due to high demand on our services we have policies in place to help the service be as efficient as possible. If you fail to attend your appointment you may be discharged from the service. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact us at least 24 hours before the time of the appointment on the above telephone number so that another appointment can be arranged. The Trust will only rearrange one appointment. Cancelling more than one appointment may result in you being discharged from the service.  If we do not hear from you within 30 days to rebook your appointment you may also be discharged from the service.

Hill Street Health and Wellbeing service,
Hill St,
Burton-on-Trent,
DE15 9LD

*Free onsite parking

For more information or help with your appointment, please contact our admin team on 01283 507 131.

Physiotherapy Department,
Samuel Johnson Community Hospital,
Trent Valley Rd,
Lichfield,
WS13 6EF

*Parking Charges apply which can be found on the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton Website

For more information or help with your appointment, please contact our admin team on 01283 507 131.

Stonydelph Health Centre,
55 Ellerbeck,
Wilnecote,
Tamworth,
B77 4JA

*Free onsite parking

For more information or help with your appointment, please contact our admin team on 01283 507 131.

Patients from Uttoxeter are currently offered appointments at either our Burton or Lichfield clinics. 

For more information or help with your appointment, please contact our admin team on 01283 507 131.

 Hi, my name is Ashish. I am a chronic pain physiotherapist and specialise in helping those who live with persistent pain. I am a non-medical prescriber for medicines related to pain. I also perform many pain related interventions such as spinal injections which may help with pain control. I have a passion for encouraging people back towards doing what they enjoy and makes them happy. Away from the office I enjoy running and generally spending time with my children. 

 Hi, I'm Krishna. I'm a pain consultant who is experienced in the management of complex pain problems. This can involve medication management or injection therapy and nerve blocks. Away from my clinical role I enjoy running - I have run several marathons and half marathons and I play the South Indian Classical Flute.

 Hi, my name is Kelly. I am a musculoskeletal physiotherapist who specialises in helping those who live with persistent pain. I have a passion for encouraging people back towards doing what they enjoy and is important to them. Away from the office I enjoy spending time with my border collie and generally spending time in the great outdoors which can involve, walking, mountain biking and snowboarding.

My name is Sally-Anne. I have been working in the Chronic Pain Management Service since 2011. In my work, I aim to work collaboratively with patients, empowering them with skills to improve life with pain. I am particularly interested in the impact of long-term pain on quality of life, psychological well-being and movement, as well as the wide range of benefits that can be gained from Tai Chi. Outside work, I love exercise, I practise Tai Chi daily, I enjoy walking my dog and I spend lots of time at my allotment.  

Hi, my name is Helen. I have a long history of working within musculoskeletal services in various positions as a physiotherapist. I enjoy working with people who suffer with persistent pain helping them to get back to doing things that are important to them. Outside of work I am busy being mum to 2 children and a stubborn spaniel called Monty.

 Hi, my name is Peter Farley, and I have been the pharmacist in the pain team of over ten years. During this time, I have undertaken research into the medicines used to treat chronic pain which has resulted in my being awarded a doctorate. My aim is to empower patients to understand what their pain medicines are doing to their pain. This may well be different for each patient and medicine, because of the genetic variation between people. Outside of work I spend time with my family but I am still able to enjoy doing silly things in the great outdoors. 

 Hi, I’m Lauren and I’m a Specialist Clinical Psychologist. It’s my role to support people with the emotional impact of living with persistent pain and to help them to live a meaningful life alongside the pain they are experiencing.

I particularly enjoy helping people to explore the connection between their emotional and physical health. Outside of work my favourite thing to do is go for a long walk with my husband and our dogs and come home to a cosy roast dinner.

Hi, I'm Dr Yvonne Martin. I work as a Clinical Psychologist in the Chronic Pain Management Team. I work alongside my colleagues as part of the multidisciplinary team offering individual and group work and co facilitating the Pain Management Programme.

My therapeutic work draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Eye Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Hi I'm Dr Alexandra Stanbury, a Specialist Clinical Psychologist. I have a keen interest in understanding the influence of early life experiences on how people learn to make sense of, and manage, their chronic pain conditions. I am trained in Compassion Focussed Therapy and committed to supporting people to become more self-compassionate. Outside of my role in the NHS, I enjoy spending time in nature with my dog, doing DIY and being around friends.

 My name is Karen and I am a nurse working in the Pain Management Service. Along with other members of the team, I support patients who are living with persistent pain. I provide guidance and advice on managing their pain and discuss strategies which may help them to live well despite pain. I also support patients during and after outpatient and theatre-based procedures. Outside of work, I enjoy walking, holidays and spending time with my family and my dog. 

 My name is Carol and I am part of the admin team for the Chronic Pain Management Service. My role has many aspects and has changed over the years but I have always enjoyed talking to patients. I enjoy reading, gardening and spending time with my family especially my grandchildren.

My Name is Avril. My job role within the pain management service is Admin Support. I enjoy helping people. Away from work I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and doing DIY.

Hi, My name is Rebecca. My role within The Chronic Pain Management Service is Administrator. I enjoy my job as I get to help people, I have lived with Chronic pain myself for many years so have some level of understanding. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and enjoy being outside in the fresh air. I have a love for flowers so enjoy being in the garden and doing anything creative.

Hi my name is Louise.  I am the Medical Secretary for the Chronic Pain Management Service and I have been in this role for around 15 years now. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren and walking my dogs and I enjoy going to the gym too.