text : standard |  large |  largest

Your LINk for improving health and social care

Kent LINk would like feedback on services for sufferers of chronic pain

"It has been estimated that 7.8 million people in the UK now suffer with moderate to severe pain that has lasted over 6 months.  Over one third of households have someone in pain at any given time" according to the Chief Medical Officer's report ‘Pain: Breaking Through the Barrier'.  The CMO reports that in 2006, over a third of chronic pain patients in the United Kingdom reported inadequate control of their pain.  The report suggests that "an ideal service would have links between the various elements of care and those who provide them, with clear, straightforward pathways based on highly variable patient need".  In response to concerns raised by LINk participants regarding to services for sufferers of chronic pain in Kent, the LINk is investigating experiences of people suffering chronic pain, both in hospital and in the community.  

What chronic pain services are available to you in your local area?  Are these easily accessible to you, if not why not?  How have these services helped you deal with chronic pain?  What could have been done to improve your experience?

If you are able to provide personal experiences relating to any of the above questions then please comment below.

alex sutherland-jones
Posts: 3
Comment
Pain
Reply #2 on : Thu April 15, 2010, 17:36:42
I have chronic primary lymphoedema as well as osteo arthritis, ashma, regular cellulitus and morbid obesity and various endocrine issues, I have had increasing pain and have been an in-patient at both Darent Valley (Dartford) and St Georges (Tooting SW London), and have been told that I needed to see a specialist but none available at either site. St Georges stated local PCT/GP needed to refer near Dartford . I have found that with-in 0.5 miles from where I live is a specialist clinic however it is closed to new patients, I was refered to clinic in GP surgery in Istead Rise but as no transport available have had to be re-booked to Lewisham at a cost to NHS as my disability makes driving distance on bad days completely impossible and as I require specialist Bariatric transport to attend whilst if clinic had been at Darent Valley could have struggled on bus ( 1 stop ) using bus pass . I dont know yet if the clinic will help but as main Lymphoedema treatment has been waiting for 3 YEARS and still no sign of treatment due to lack of beds but West Kent PCT have authorised funding 16 months ago. The pain is intense and since having gastric ballon and not being able to take tablets are relying on injections and patches and also have many drug allergies, so very desperate as max relief currently 45% relief prior to Gastric balloon when tablets could be taken relief of upto 70% was given.
Lyn Gallimore
Posts: 3
Comment
Pain
Reply #1 on : Sun January 17, 2010, 10:40:02
I have had arthritis for over 30 years. In that time I have been offered pain management thro my GP who referred me to a specialist in Stoke on Trent. This was good but short term. Now I have moved to Kent and nothing similar has been offered. My physio recommended a new team to be organised in Swale consisting of Orthopaedic consultant, psychologist/nutritionist and physio to be accessed thro my GP who knew nothing of it. As mobility is one of the main bug bears of my condition and therefore overweight is a problem, I thought this kind of service would be a big help, but, alas, I cannot find my way in to the service. At the moment I am awaiting hip surgery (again) which has taken 3 x 18 week periods to come to this point which was diagnosed in July 2008.

Write a comment

  • Required fields are marked with *.

If you have trouble reading the code, click on the code itself to generate a new random code.
 
powered by blue spark*