Chronic Pain Policy Coalition

Government publishes response to Work, health and disability: improving lives consultation

In October 2016, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Department of Health, as part of the Improving lives: work, health and disability Green Paper, set up a consultation including a call for evidence. As part of this process the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition (CPPC) hosted two roundtables, chaired by Lord Luce, and attended by various health and work stakeholders, including representatives from the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions. This discussion formed the basis for the CPPC’s evidence submission. The government has now responded to the consultation. That document can be found here. Furthermore, the CPPC has published a summary of the government response with a particular emphasis on sections which relate to our evidence submission. To read that summary please click on related downloads. 

Time to get serious about chronic pain

The Pain Consortium was delighted to hold an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the Faculty of Pain Medicine and the 50th anniversary of the British Pain Society in Parliament in October. The theme was "Time to get serious about chronic pain: delivering the care that patients really need." The event was chaired by the CPPC's Parliamentary Champion Lord Luce and speakers represented both the Faculty of Pain Medicine and the British Pain Society. 

Neil Betteridge, CPPC Co-Chair, gives statement at the Societal Impact of Pain Conference, Malta

Neil Betteridge, CPPC Co-Chair, gives a statement on behalf of the CPPC  at the Societal Impact of Pain meeting in Malta. Neil argued that: 

"Chronic pain should be a far greater priority in policy terms, both as a dimension of other diseases where appropriate and in its own right where patients are otherwise insufficiently supported by healthcare systems oblivious to its personal and social impact."

CPPC makes a submission to the Improving Lives Greenpaper

At the end of last year, the CPPC held a roundtable at the Royal Overseas League, chaired by Lord Luce. The aim of the roundtable was to feedback to representatives from the Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions about the Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper.

The deadline for submissions to the consultation was the 17th February. 

Parliamentary Pain Event: Patient Survey Results Published

The Chronic Pain Policy Coalition and the All-Party Parliamentary Health Group held an event in Parliament on the 7th December to discuss pain management in primary care. 

Peter Dowd MP chaired the event alongside CPPC Parliamentary Champions, John Cryer MP and Lord Luce and a variety of high-level speakers from across the pain spectrum, which included Dr Martin Johnson, co-chair of the CPPC. The event saw results published from a new survey made possible by talkhealth.

Please click below for more information about the results of the survey and the pain event as a whole. 

Watch and Read the Lord Luce Debate

On the 19th October 2016, Lord Luce held a debate in the House of Lords on the Fit for Work scheme and chronic pain. Watch Lord Luce' opening speech, other contributions and the response from Lord Freud. 

Click below for more information. 

Evidence is published that supports CPPC campaign for annual check for chronic pain patients

Yesterday marked Opioid Painkiller Addiction Awareness Day (OPAAD) with the CPPC drawing attention to statistics released last year at the launch of OPAAD, which revealed 1 in 6 UK adults were concerned with the amount of opioid painkillers they were taking. New research has now estimated that 2 out 5 people in the UK do not follow national guidelines that suggest adults should restrict the use of over-the-counter opioid painkillers due to risk of addiction. The CPPC has been working closely with a number of Parliamentarians, including Lord Luce and John Cryer MP, to help drive forward awareness raising and campaigning for an annual pain assessment/pain medication review of chronic pain patients in Primary Care.