CPPC Calls For A National Framework In England To Help Millions Suffering From Long Term Chronic Pain

Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 03 Jul 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The Chronic Pain Policy Coalition (CPPC), established to promote better treatment for the 7.8 million who suffer from long-term chronic pain such as severe back pain or depression, is calling for a national chronic pain treatment framework for England in the light of the Darzi review into the future of the NHS.

Despite Lord Darzi outlining the use of personal budgets for 5,000 patients suffering from complex longterm conditions and personal care plans for all 15 million patients with a long-term condition, the CPPC believes a national strategy specifically targeted at chronic pain patients in England would be a vital step towards improving patient care. Wales has already outlined a national strategy for the management of chronic pain and Scotland published the 'Getting to GRIPS' report into the issue as far back as 2003. Chronic pain, defined as pain that persists beyond the normal healing process, affects more people than coronary heart disease and diabetes combined yet there is still no proposed national framework for England to help primary care trusts or strategic health authorities to systematically promote more effective treatment.

All too often specific signs that acute pain can lead to long-term chronic pain are missed, leading to a lifetime of physically and mentally debilitating symptoms. Early intervention, diagnosis and treatment for patients regardless of where they live, would massively improve patients quality of life and enable many to get back to work and to get on with their lives.

Not only is the lack of a strategic treatment framework in England bad news for patients who are forced to learn to live with discomfort on a daily basis, but it's also bad for businesses and the economy with 50% of all people living with chronic pain going on to lose their jobs as a result. It has been estimated that the cost of back pain alone to the UK economy was £ 12.3 billion in 2000 with 119 million working days lost as a result.

The CPPC believes a national framework in England could also help challenge popular misconceptions over chronic pain that are hampering effective treatment. It would allow for resources to be better targeted on educating patients as to when, where and how to access treatments and to help better inform doctors to ensure they can give patients appropriate information and treatments wherever they happen to live in the UK.

Popular misconceptions include

- 'Chronic pain only affects the elderly and is just a natural part of the ageing process' Of those living with chronic pain in the UK, about 75 % are of working age between18-65.

- 'There is nothing doctors can do to treat my pain.'

Thankfully there is! From self management courses that help people manage their own pain to supporting lifestyle changes to the use of analgesic drugs doctors, have a combination of approaches at their disposal to choose from which they can adapt to the individual patients needs.

Responding in the wake of the Darzi report, Dr Beverly Collett, Chair of the CPPC said: 'Lord Darzis's proposals on the future of the NHS could pave the way for significant change in healthcare in this country but the CPPC strongly urges Government to adopt a national chronic pain framework for England to help the many millions of people who are suffering from this silent epidemic. England should not be allowed to fall further behind Wales or Scotland who already recognise that we need to try and ensure that those who need treatment can access it regardless of where they happen to live.

At the moment, taxpayers as well as patients may be losing out because we have a system that would rather compensate people for not working when we need to look at ways we can improve patients wellbeing, helping them manage their pain better and getting them back to work - which is what many patients are desperate to be able to do.'

Melanie Jones, Manager of the CPPC said:

'In half of all cases, the patient experiences chronic pain for more than a decade; a fifth suffer for more than twenty years. Because most patients believe there is little that doctors can do for them, and because most doctors don't know how they can help patients to better manage and deal with their pain, most end up suffering in dignified silence for years.

At the moment, treatment services are variable and relatively under resourced and can depend on where you live in the country. A national framework would allow for patients across England to expect minimum standards for the treatment of chronic pain when they visit their GP. I hope the Government, in the light of the Darzi report, recognise the importance of offering all those with chronic pain the chance to regain control over their condition.'

Visit http://www.paincoalition.org.uk for further information.

The CPPC has recently launched a Five Point Pain Manifesto that calls for:

1. Education - so that pain is an integral part of all professional medial training. Undergraduate doctors currently only receive about 4 hours training on pain.
2. Empowerment - to support patients to make decisions about their own condition
3. Collaboration - so that all stakeholders share in a joined-up patient strategy
4. Early Access - to prevent acute pain becoming debilitating chronic pain
5. Measurement - of pain as the 5th Vital Sign

A range of case studies of chronic pain sufferers is available to interested media. If you wish to receive details, or to be made aware of forthcoming releases by the CPPC, please e-mail daniel.golding@policyconnect.org.uk.

About the Chronic Pain policy Coalition

The CPPC was established in 2006 to improve the lives of people who live with chronic pain by developing and sharing ideas for more effective prevention, treatment and management of chronic pain throughout the UK.

The CPPC brings together patients alongside healthcare professionals and parliamentarians who are committed to advancing the management and treatment of chronic pain by identifying examples of best practice, promoting joined-up thinking across Government departments and seeking patient-centered services that allow patients to manage their own condition.

The CPPC's President is Baroness Rennie Frichtie of Gloucester and the Chair is Dr Beverley Collett, a Consultant in Pain Management at University Hospitals of Leicester.

Chronic Pain policy Coalition