Weekly pain clinic returns in Stamford

As part of the Community Pain Management Service being run by Connect Health, on behalf of the four Lincolnshire clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), the pain clinics will focus on first assessment and physiotherapy and will be based at the Star Lane Pain Management Clinic, Stamford, working in collaboration with the Broad Street Practice.

Connect Health is also working on a plan with a Stamford GP practice to improve access to psychological therapies and medicines management.

“We are delighted to be able to announce the return of the pain clinics to Stamford,” said Sarah Brinkworth, head of commissioning and contracting for South Lincolnshire CCG.

“We know many local patients in and around Stamford were upset they could not access a service in the town and we have worked collaboratively with Connect Health to make this happen. It’s great that there are now four Connect Health community pain management clinic locations within 20 miles of Stamford, offering all aspects of the commissioned pain management pathway.”

The Community Pain Management Service is for patients over the age of 16 who are registered with a GP in Lincolnshire with the focus on empowering patients and providing them with strategies and tools to live better with persistent pain.

The service provides access to specialist pain clinicians who can provide comprehensive assessments and offer a range of supported management strategies to patients.

“Since the beginning of April Connect Health have established their service at 13 sites across Lincolnshire, including Skegness, Boston, Mablethorpe, Louth, Lincoln, North Hykeham, Gainsborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Grantham and Market Deeping,” added Ms Brinkworth.

“We were always committed to delivering a pain service in Stamford, but it took a little longer than expected to find available premises, so we are particularly grateful for the understanding and patience demonstrated by local residents.”

Patients will be referred into the Community Pain Management Service by their GP, then contacted by Connect Health to arrange their first appointment with the option of attending one of a range of venues to suit.

“We provide expert therapy and support for patients living with persistent pain, including evidenced based pain management programmes, pain medication support, psychological therapies, interventional procedures, health and wellbeing support, exercise/return to activity or work plans and sleep support,” said Danielle Chulan, deputy director of NHS Services at Connect Health.

“We try, wherever possible, to accommodate patients’ wishes as far as choice of location is concerned, although sometimes it is possible to be seen quicker if you are prepared to travel.

“We recognise that this fits well with some of our patients’ circumstances, therefore this is always offered as a patient choice. There are transport services available across the county and our referral management team are happy to provide the details of these.

“Since we launched the service in April we have seen over 4,400 patients When we launch the service next week at the Star Lane Pain Management Clinic, we will concentrate on the initial assessments for patients, as well as providing pain specialist physiotherapy.

“Patients who are at a different stage in their treatment and/or require a particular type of treatment will be seen at one of our other locations in the county.

“Our mobile injection unit has been based in Spalding, Louth, and North Hykeham, as this is where the largest proportion of the patient need is, however, we are also looking to host this unit at Market Deeping in the future and we will continue to review the demand for this element of the service. The joy of having mobile units is that we can be flexible and agile in location, to some extent, to meet the overall patient need of the Lincolnshire population.

“It is also worth saying that patients who have been used to treatment under a previous provider may find the new commissioned pathway is a little different and/or they may not follow the same course of treatment they are used to. However, the commissioned pathway and our approach are in line with latest persistent pain guidance, particularly that from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Pain Society.”

For more information on the Community Pain Management Service offered by Connect Health in Lincolnshire and access to patient resources, visit https://www.connecthealth.co.uk/services/lincolnshire/.