Pain Self-management (Patients)

The aim of pain self-management programmes is to help patients deal with the way that pain affects their lives. During the programme, you will have a combination of, educational, exercise, psychological and problem-solving sessions.

This programme does not involve medical treatments. Pain management programmes are not designed to reduce the intensity of your pain; however, completing a programme can greatly reduce the negative impact pain has on your life.

To reap the most benefit from the programme, you must be willing to make certain lifestyle changes and to apply what you have learned on the programme in your everyday life.

Pain self-management programmes at RNOHT are residential/inpatient programmes for a 3 week period. You will go home at the weekends.

Patients on the Pain Management Programme have a variety of conditions including back pain, osteo-arthritis and fibromyalgia

Rehabilitation programmes at RNOHT are generally 3 weeks, depending on your needs. You will go home on the weekends.

Patients on the Rehabilitation Programme have a variety of conditions including Joint Hypermobility Syndrome/EDS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Post Polio Syndrome.

See the British Pain Society website for further information on pain management programmes. 

The aim of the CRPS programme is to reduce the impact of CRPS on your life.

The programme consists of educational and physical sessions, alongside psychological groups and one to one working with members of the team.

All programmes take a goal-centered approach, and therefore potential participants are encouraged to consider what they wish to achieve from the programme.

Patients are followed up by the Multi-disciplinary team at three months and one year following the programme.

STEP 1
Your local G.P. or hospital consultant write a referral letter to one of our admitting consultants who then arrange to meet with you in clinic.

STEP 2
The admitting consultant then refers you to our pre-assessment clinic where you meet members of the Multi-disciplinary Team who will talk through how a programme may help you.
Following a group presentation, you will meet with one member of the team, at this stage you will have the opportunity to ask any other questions you may have about the programme.

STEP 3
The Team then meet for discussion and, if suitable for the programme, you will be contacted by letter and offered a place.

Please note: We cannot accept self-referrals directly from patients, employers or private insurers.

Pre-Assessment: For Pain Management and Rehabilitation programmes

Data collection

• Prior to an assessment date being given, all patients are required to complete the questionnaires that are sent to them
• Following the return of the questionnaires, an assessment date will be sent

Patients will be required to attend either a morning or an afternoon assessment session. They will be informed in advance of the date and time of their pre-assessment by letter. There may be up to eight patients called to attend the same session, and they are welcome and encouraged to bring one family member or friend along with them.

The pre-assessment process usually last for 2-3 hours in total and is structured in the following way:

Group Talk

• A brief explanation of the programme is given and team members from each discipline (Clinical Health Psychologist, Nurse, Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist) outline their particular contribution and aims within the pain management and rehabilitation programme.
• Patients, partners and friends are encouraged to ask any questions about the programme.
• Individual assessment
• Each patient (and partner/friend if patient consents) will then go with one member of the team for an individual assessment.
• The patient will once again be able to raise any questions they may have had following the group talk and will be asked if they are happy to proceed with their own individual assessment.
• The pre-assessor will then talk through the patient's pre-assessment questionnaire gathering information about their current physical status, medical history and functional abilities.
• Goals will be identified at this stage
• The patient will be asked about their availability to come on the programme, and any nursing or dietary requirements they may have.
• The patient will be advised that they will not be given a formal response that day as to whether they are suitable for admission on to the programme, but will hear from the team in writing shortly after. This is because we need to discuss the decisions as a team
• Patients can then go home once they have finished their individual interview

• Active Back Programme
• Pain self-management (Health Professionals)
• Acute Pain Management
• Chronic Pain Management
• Integrated pain management
• Pain/Spasticity