IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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NHS Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group has been legally dissolved and from 1 July 2022 has been replaced by a new organisation: NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (SY ICB). NHS South Yorkshire ICB is now responsible for commissioning and funding of health and care services locally. Please go to our new website www.southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk for information about the work of NHS South Yorkshire ICB and details about how to contact us.

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Pain management treatments

We have been reviewing pain management treatments in Barnsley so that we can make sure we are up to date with the services that are provided.  

Many people struggle with long-term pain but help from the NHS and other pain services can lessen the pain, improve independence and help cope in general.

You may have a painful diagnosed condition such as arthritis or diabetes nerve pain. Or, you may have a painful condition that medical science doesn't fully understand, such as long-term back pain.

There are two main types of pain:

Acute pain, also known as short-term pain, is pain that has started recently.

Chronic, or long-term pain, is pain that has lasted for three months or more.

If you have short-term (acute) pain, your GP will try to make a diagnosis and treat the pain.

If you have chronic/long-term pain it might be as a result of a diagnosed medical condition, a painful condition that is not yet fully understood or no underlying condition at all. This doesn't mean you don't have pain, but it does mean that a different approach to managing that pain might be helpful such as a referral to a pain management clinic/ service. (Information courtesy of NHS Choices )

What Pain Management Services are available for Barnsley people?

Most people in Barnsley attend pain management clinics at a number of places, including local hospitals (including Sheffield and Doncaster) or a community based service such as InHealth Pain Management Solutions, although some people do travel further afield. 

At all of these places, the pain management service will have teams of staff from different medical areas, including occupational therapists, psychologists, doctors, nurses and physiotherapists. They all work together to help people with pain.

Pain clinic treatments vary but usually offer a variety of treatments aimed at relieving long term pain, such as painkilling drugs; injections; Acupuncture and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

People can be referred to a pain clinic by their GP or some other NHS professionals.

Why are we carrying out this review?

We want to make sure the treatments provided to Barnsley people are up to date with current clinical and national guidance. To do this, we are required to regularly review treatments offered in Barnsley.

Key to this review was for us to gain views and feedback from the people who are using these types of treatments. The more examples and feedback we can get, the better we can ensure that future services meet the needs of the local people accessing them.

Next Steps 

We invited feedback from anyone who has previously received or is currently receiving treatment for pain management , or from a family member or carer of someone who does.   A separate survey was also compiled for staff members and clinicians.  We also advertised a focus session in the local press for people to register to attend to share their views and experiences with us.

Following the closure of the survey in September 2017, the responses have now been collated and have been shared with the CCG leads for this review to help shape next steps. A copy of the engagement summary report can be accessed here

Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide us with your feedback