About the programme
The Scottish National Pain Management Programme provide intensive group programmes to individuals from all over Scotland who live with chronic pain. The programme supports individuals to develop self-management skills to improve the aspects in life impacted by pain and to live a more fulfilling life with pain. Individuals with chronic pain residing in Scotland can be referred from their local pain management service.
How might a programme help?
A pain management programme can help people with long term pain to develop self-management skills and strategies, in the hope that they can live more fulfilling lives.
On these intensive group programmes, you will work in a group of up to ten others, alongside a specialist team of healthcare professionals. The team consists of psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a doctor and a nurse. You will work with the team to identify what impact pain has had on the things that are important to you and how you might explore ways to re-engage with these things.
Participating in a programme can help you to understand more about your pain and develop skills to:
- Improve your quality of life
- Be able to do more of the activities that you enjoy and are important to you
- Explore ways of managing negative emotions associated with your pain
- Become more independent with everyday tasks
- Feel more confident about managing your pain condition
What happens on a programme?
The in-person residential programme runs across 3 weeks Monday to Friday for full days. The virtual programme runs across 5 weeks Monday to Friday for 3 hours in the mornings.
Whether the group is delivered virtually or in-person, the content is identical. We use a variety of methods to help suit different learning styles.
Each day is varied and can be a mixture of:
- group sessions
- working in a small group
- Individual work
- Practical physical and activity sessions
There is one specially designed session that a friend or family member is able to join you.
After completing the group stage, the next phase is time to practice the skills learnt on the programme within your home. Two optional group catch up sessions are offered during the initial weeks post group and at three months post group there is a video review appointment to discuss any challenges and successes of using pain management skills in your life.
Six months from the group ending, participants are invited back for a one day group session. The day offers an opportunity to share your progress with the other group members and to further explore any challenges you may have had.
More details can be found in the Information about the SNRPMP Leaflet
How can someone be referred to the Scottish National PMP?
Someone must be attending their local pain clinic to be referred to the service. Your local service would discuss with you if they thought that referral to the service was the best management plan for your pain condition. Once you and your local pain management service agree a referral would be the best plan, they will write to us with some information about you and how pain has impacted on your life.