Chronic pain
Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond normal injury healing time or recurs for longer than three months. It is a separate condition in its own right, and frequently presents alongside other long-term health conditions.
Chronic pain can have a substantial impact on general health and wellbeing. It is estimated that chronic pain affects 1 in 5 people in Scotland.
Framework for pain management service delivery
Our Framework for pain management service delivery (published 2022) set out the actions we are taking to improve care and services for people with chronic pain in Scotland. We published a progress report and updated implementation plan in November 2023.
We want to work with people who experience chronic pain to help develop this policy. If you opt to take part, your data will be held in line with the chronic pain privacy policy.
The framework was developed following a public consultation in 2021. Read the individual responses and an analysis of the consultation responses.
Governance arrangements
The implementation of the Framework for Pain Management Service Delivery in Scotland is overseen by the Pain Management Task Force who report directly to Scottish Government Ministers.
More information
Further information on managing chronic pain can be found on the NHS inform website.
Contact: chronicpain@gov.scot