Our leaflet "Clinical Services for People with Pain" can be downloaded here.

Learn how to manage your pain and improve your quality of life:

Quick links:

1. One to one consultations
2. Group pain management programmes
3. Acupuncture
4. Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy
5. Home and work based analysis
6. Educational courses
7. Testimonials

Chronic pain is pain that has lasted for over 3 months. For some people the pain is persistent, for others it comes and goes. One in five of the UK population has some sort of chronic pain.

One of the frustrating things about chronic pain is that the cause may not always be clear. Even when it is, a diagnosis does not necessarily solve the problem or lessen the impact of the pain.

For many people, chronic pain can affect home, social and their working lives. People can become anxious, depressed and angry. Their families, friends, work colleagues and carers can be equally affected.

At PainConsultants our experienced health care staff understand the impact of pain. Working with you to help you manage pain and improve your quality of life, our approach enables you, rather than the pain, to be in control.

Our experienced team offers in-depth assessment and pain management advice for people with chronic pain and their families.

The Consultation

An initial in-depth assessment either face-to-face or via the telephone. (Note/ Telephone assessments are dependent upon either therapist / practitioner referral, or an e-mail briefing from yourself following guidelines that we will send you).

A personalised programme is then devised to meet your specific needs and, if relevant, those of your partner or carer. We can also see partners and carers on their own. Sessions may involve:

• Understanding chronic pain
• Challenging your thoughts and feelings about the impact of pain
• Medication review
• Strategies to cope with pain
• Balancing activity with relaxation
• Managing home, social and work activities

At the end of the consultation period, both you and your GP will be provided with a written summary of your treatment programme.

Location and fees:

Currently available within a 20-mile radius of South Buckinghamshire.

Please register your interest if you live further afield, as we may be able to put you in touch with local practitioners.

Face to face consultations:

Initial assessment	40 minutes	£60
Follow up sessions	30 minutes	£40
	1 hour	£70
Travel costs applied for distances over 10 miles return		40p per mile
Travel time applied for journeys over 20 minutes each way		50p per minute

Telephone Appointments:

Initial assessment	20 minutes	£30 (+ telephone costs)
Additional postal assessment & analysis		£35
Follow up sessions	30 minutes	£40 (+ telephone costs)

Bookings:

For further information or to book an appointment please email or telephone 01494 866997 (Monday-Friday, 9.00am - 5.30pm)

Return to Top of Page

We offer both outpatient and residential programmes. Our next programme is due to commence in the New Year.

Pain Management Programmes can help people with pain:

• Remain at or return to work
• Increase self-care independence, home and leisure activities
• Reduce the number of visits to healthcare practitioners
• Reduce reliance upon medication
• Learn new ways to control pain
• Work towards personal goals
• Increase understanding of how pain can affect family, friends, employer and colleagues

Residential Fees: £4,220 - £6,950*
Outpatient Fees: £2,770 - £5,220*

(* We offer on-going support to our patients to maximise goal achievement. The fee variation is dependent upon the complexity of the patients needs.)

Our courses are recognised by BUPA and other healthcare insurers.

Facilitated by health professionals with expertise in pain management, our programmes aim to help you:

• Increase knowledge and understanding of pain
• Develop strategies to cope with pain
• Adjust activity levels to improve work-life balance
• Reduce dependence on family and health services
• Face the future with optimism

Programme Content

An initial inter-professional assessment

• The philosophy of pain management
• Understanding chronic pain
• Setting goals
• Stress management
• Thinking, feeling and doing
• Exercise and fitness
• Relaxation
• Posture
• Managing daily tasks
• Pacing
• Managing medication
• Sleep
• Communication and relationships
• Employment and productivity
• Managing flare-ups

An evaluation session.

At the final session of the last programme, one of the participants read a poem about his experiences on the programme. This can be read here.

You will receive a handbook of course materials and a report that includes details of your assessment, the programme content and your evaluation. A summary of the report will be sent to your General Practitioner. Additional copies can be made available for your consultant, employer, insurer, or other relevant party upon request.

Click here to register your interest or to find out more.

Please note: The current programme is delivered in South Buckinghamshire. Please register your interest if you live elsewhere as further programmes are planned or we may be able to put you in touch with existing programmes nearer to your home.

Return to Top of Page

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of medical treatment having originated in China some 3,500 years ago. The treatment was introduced to Europe in the 17th century.

There have been many attempts to explain how and why acupuncture works. Although we still do not have a full understanding, many people have found it to be an effective form of treatment for a wide number of conditions.

Acupuncture is often thought of as a treatment for pain such as migraine and back pain, but it can also be used for many other conditions such as stress, early morning sickness and insomnia.

Click here to register your interest or find out more.

Please note: Our acupuncture services are currently only available in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Return to Top of Page

LIZ

Return to Top of Page

Does pain interfere with you being able to carry out the things you want or need to do? We can make an assessment of the tasks that are adding to the problem at work or at home. Contact us for further information.

Return to Top of Page

Under the title "Living and Working with Pain", PainConsultants offers a series of seminars for people with pain and their employers. These currently include:

• Living and working with pain: Managing pain in the workplace
• Living and working with pain: Referral for supervised exercise
• Living and working with the pain of diabetes
• Living and working with Multiple Sclerosis pain
• Living and working with pain: Know your body, understand pain

Other seminars are planned or can be developed to suit your needs. Please contact us.

Return to Top of Page

"Before speaking to you I always thought the best treatment for my recurring back pain was to lie flat in bed. Now I understand that I should use a heat pack, exercise gently, take painkillers, keep moving and stay at work. In just 4 days I am feeling and moving so much better. "  Mike, July 2004

"My family kept telling me I was taking too many painkillers. Thank God I spoke to you. The pain is so much better because I now understand the effects and side effects of my drugs and the best times to take them so I can keep going."   Julia, June 2004

"If we hadn't called you in, I don't know how I would have coped with my husband any longer. I really needed some advice."  Jenny, June 2004

"Thank you for writing to my doctor with advice about my pain management. It has really helped me feel able to talk to him."  James, June 2004

And from GPs:

"Thank you for providing us with a copy of the Pain Society and RCGP booklet on opioids for persistent non-cancer pain."

Return to Top of Page