Pain management service delivery implementation plan: progress report

Aim a: person-centred care 

We will improve the consistency and quality of the information and advice received by people with chronic pain, increase healthcare professionals’ understanding of the condition and its impact, and deliver better access to a range of local options to support self-management and wellbeing.

Action 1 

Establish a national expert working group to overs coordination and development of chronic pain information and resources -the working group, known as Short Life Working Group (SLWG) A, was established in October 2022. The group contains representatives from clinical networks, the chronic pain and quality prescribing policy team, Public Health Scotland (PHS) and representatives from NHS 24. In the first year the group has concentrated on Action 2. The group are currently looking to update their membership as the work continues.

Action 2

Enhance quality and access to chronic pain information on NHS inform - social research agency The Lines Between (TLB) were contracted to carry out a user needs assessment of chronic pain content on NHS Inform. Following approval from the Pain Management Task Force of TLB’s proposed process, the Pain Management Panel engagement was undertaken throughout November 2022. Working with colleagues from NHS24 and The Lines Between, SLWG A have created updated content which has undergone an evaluation process with clinical and third sector colleagues. SLWG A have also taken the opportunity to make the new layout dynamic and more user friendly. The Pain Management Panel engagement report has been published on the Scottish Government website. The updated content was published on 18 October 2023 and plans are underway to make this available in other languages and alternative formats.

Action 3

Establish a Chronic Pain knowledge hub for health and care professionals - the creation of the chronic pain knowldge hub has been carried out by our National Education group following their establishment (see action 14)The group have collaborated with the digital team in NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to create the knowledge hub which is designed as a ‘one stop shop’ for all health and social care staff supporting people living with chronic pain.  The hub will be hosted on TURAS, NHS Education for Scotland's single, unified platform. The hub page will host the chronic pain toolkit (See Action 4) and links to pain networks and resources for service planning. The page shows clearly what users need to know and what they need to be able to do and has been designed to ensure it is engaging and interactive as possible. Work has been carried out by the group to assess the module links to external sources. The pages have undergone an evaluation and review process and the changes are expected to go live in March 2024.

Action 4

Develop a pain informed care toolkit for health and care professionals - the ongoing development of a chronic pain informed care toolkit has been carried out by our National Education Group (See Action 14). The chronic pain informed care toolkit work will include four separate levels ranging from informed to specialist. The Education group began by identifying gaps in resources available. Liaising with NES, the group designed content including animations which would be hosted on the knowledge hub and agreed on hosting arrangements. Work has been carried out by the group to assess any links to external sources using an agreed competency tool. Currently level 1 (informed) has been completed and is undergoing evaluation. Level 2 (skilled) has undergone good progress and is nearing completion. Levels 3 (enhanced) and level 4 (specialist) will follow the completion of levels 1 and 2. The Assistant Medical Director of NES will collaborate with the education group relating to levels 3 and 4 and credentialing process.

Action 5

Convene a network of community and third- sector support for chronic pain - shortly after the publication of the Implementation Plan a Chair was appointed for the leadership of the Third Sector Network. Following this the group started to meet regularly. The Third Sector Network drafted a workplan which outlined the workstreams for the group. The workstreams for the group are: Strengthen working between Third Sector and services; Consider approaches to improve involvement and engagement of people with chronic pain in service improvement, planning and delivery; Ensure Network is appropriately linked to other implementation activity; Address barriers around third sector and impact of short-term funding and Raising awareness of chronic pain and its impact at the national level and ensure appropriate signposting and awareness of statutory and non-statutory services and support. The network worked closely with our Clinical Lead who informed the group of the work happening on the TURAS site. The Third Sector Network also provided feedback on the work happening with the NHS24 pages and were engaged in the lead up to the drafting of the updated Implementation Plan. Our Third Sector Network has good links with our Professional and Service Manager Networks and provides feedback to the Scottish Government.