Pain Self-Management and Rehabilitation Programmes for Purchasers/Doctors/Health Professionals
What we do
The RNOH offers residential in-patient programmes for adults (over 18 years) with long-term chronic neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions. These programmes offer a mix of individual and group sessions with input from health psychology, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and medical specialties including rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine and chronic pain management. Our inpatient facilities and experience allow us to offer our programmes to patients with a high level of disability.
The in-patient programmes at the RNOH fall broadly into two groups:
- Rehabilitation programmes - goal directed, usually fixed term admissions with an emphasis on physical gains and reconditioning combined with medical therapies and some input to encourage self- management. There is specific expertise in this unit for patients with post-polio syndrome.
- Pain Self-Management Programmes (PMPs) - three week admissions with an emphasis on cognitive behavioural therapy based self-management techniques, some input to improve general physical condition and minimal or no medical input.
Please note that there are certain subgroups of patients with chronic pain that we are at present unable to accommodate on to our programmes. These include severely disabled patients with progressive neurological diseases/disorders, including multiple sclerosis. Please refer to the Spinal Cord Injury Centre.
Pain Management Programmes (PMP)
PMPs move away from seeking a medical cure or reduction in pain intensity (also known as "The Medical model"), focusing instead on self-management through education sessions, tailored exercises, psychological support and practical coping and problem-solving strategies. It is this change in emphasis that has led to the development of the PMP as a separate entity. The PMP encompasses a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approach; patients are expected to make cognitive and lifestyle changes in order to incorporate the self-management principles inherent in the programme into their daily lives and take these principles forward after discharge. The primary aim of PMPs is therefore not to reduce pain intensity but to enable patients to control the negative effects of pain on their lives. PMPs have consistently been shown to improve quality of life and reduce pain related disability.
This programme fulfils the criteria for Combined Physical and Psychological (CPP) treatment programmes as recommended by the NICE 2009 guidelines on low back pain.
British Pain Society leaflet for professionals.
Referring to the RNOH pain management programme
Referral pathways
Patients may be placed on a PMP or rehabilitation programme after being seen at the pain clinic, rehabilitation clinic or rheumatology clinic at RNOH.
We accept referrals from GP practices as well as from consultants and clinicians at the RNOHT and other secondary care centres. All referrals are triaged by one of the consultants.
Referrals for rehabilitation medicine (excluding spinal injuries rehabilitation) may be sent to:
- Dr Joseph Cowan, Consultant in Neurophysiology and Rehabilitation Medicine
Referrals specifically directed to the pain management programmes may be sent to:
- Dr Roxaneh Zarnegar, Consultant in anaesthesia and Pain Management
- Dr Joseph Cowan, Consultant in Neurophysiology and Rehabilitation Medicine
Referrals for rehabilitation in patients with rheumatological disorders may be sent to:
- Dr Roger Wolman
Contacts
Dr Zarnegar's secretary 020 8909 5274
Dr Cowan's secretary 020 8909 5315
Dr Wolman's secretary 020 8909 5894
