The Pain Management Programme (PMP) aims to help you improve the overall quality of your life. We look at how pain impacts you, physically, psychologically and socially.
This group-based programme helps you manage your pain and teaches positive coping skills. It is based on the principles of self-management which is essential in the effective management of long-term conditions.
Who is suitable for the programme?
To be included on the programme you must:
- have chronic pain which causes significant disability and/or distress.
- be open to change.
- be willing to take part in a group setting, involving psychological and physical activities.
- be over 18 years old.
- have no planned referrals to other specialities regarding your pain problem.
- have no other major health problems e.g. uncontrolled angina or asthma.
- be able to manage basic activities of daily living and are self-caring.
- be able to attend in person and commit to all seven sessions.
- have no major issues with substance misuse (including alcohol).
- have no unmanaged psychiatric disorders of current significance.
If you need an interpreter please discuss this with the Pain team first.
About the programme
The programme is run by a team of healthcare professionals including a psychologist, physiotherapist and nurse specialists.
It’s run over seven sessions and you should commit to coming to them all.
There will be about 10 to 15 people in each group session. It’s run as a group so you can meet other people who also live with pain, to share knowledge and encourage each other within the group. The group is a safe space to share difficulties and develop coping strategies in a confidential environment.
Recovering your quality of life is the main theme of the programme. There’s a strong focus on making and maintaining change. You will need to think about how you’ve been managing your pain and the potential changes that you may need to make.
You will be given handouts for each session. These include questions to work through and resources for you to use.
On the first and last session, you will be asked to complete questionnaires. These are questions about your pain and mood. They help measure your progress.
What is included in the sessions?
These include:
- an introduction to the biopsychosocial approach to chronic pain.
- smart goals.
- science of pain, 3 types of pain.
- psychology sessions including linking pain and stress, self-esteem, emotional resilience, coping and my pain.
- how does pain affect activity and how can that be changed?
- self-care and nutrition.
- social prescribing and assessing support in the community.
- flare-up management.
- relaxation plus mindfulness and meditation.
- medication.
When and where does the programme take place?
The sessions are on seven Wednesday afternoons, from 1.30pm to 4pm, with a 15 minute break.
Pain Management department,
Royal Derby Hospital,
Uttoxeter Road,
Derby,
DE22 3NE.
What happens at the end of the programme?
We hope that by the end of the programme you will have prepared a recovery plan and have resources to access information and support. This information will be provided.
There is no automatic follow up appointment at the end.
If you have any questions regarding the programme, please contact the Pain Management department, Royal Derby Hospital, on 01332 786086.
