The first English Pain Summit

On Tuesday 22 November, the Pain Summit 2011 took place at Central Hall, Westminster.

The Summit was well attended by a wide variety of delegates, ranging from health care professionals to commissioners to patient groups and many more besides. 
 

The morning session included addresses from Earl Howe, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh and Professor Dame Carol Black, combined with accounts from patients and professionals and two panel discussions.
 

Delegates then split into smaller groups to attend workshops on the themes of 'Education', 'Public Health: The Wider Context of Pain' and 'Quality Commissioning' and to discuss the issues that these subject areas raised for chronic pain.
 

Whilst the workshop facilitators prepared to report back on the findings of their sessions, we heard from four speakers about current measures aiming at improving the lives for those suffering from chronic pain - The Health Foundation's Co-creating Health Initiative. Pain UK, the British Pain Society Pain Patient Pathway Mapping Guidelines, and the role of the Royal College of GPs Clinical Champion for Pain.
 

After brief reports of the workshops, Dr Beverly Collett spoke about next steps for the Pain Summit, before the day was concluded with remarks from Professor Sir Liam Donaldson.