Aims of the Service
The Community Pain Management Service aims to provide a voice for individuals in chronic pain, this forms the basis of a specialist assessment whereby pain and the effect it has are explored in detail. This is followed by a collaborative, individualised, and supported process involving goal setting with an ultimate focus on self-management of one's pain.
Ethos
Our ethos is collaborative between patient and clinician. Individuals with chronic pain can work towards feeling in control and having a sense of empowerment over their symptoms, this is something we are able to guide and support with. However, we cannot directly provide this it requires work and effort from both the patient and clinician(s).
What do we offer?
Upon referral every patient is offered an individualized and patient centred assessment by a senior clinician. We provide a range of exercise groups including yoga and strengthening circuits. One of our main focusses is dealing with medication concerns, we link closely to local GP and Pharmacists to support individuals to reduce their dependence on painkillers. We also aim to educate patients about pain physiology in accordance with the most up to date research and guidance, thereby providing service users with a knowledge base than can be used to support in their journey to more effective pain management.
We can offer support and advice with important lifestyle factors such as sleep hygiene and pacing. Our fibromyalgia group aims to bring together individuals to support them through their chronic pain journey and had created links with THRIVE, a group based in Winsford which aims to continue this support in the community.
Who are we?
The service utilises a multi-disciplinary team to provide a collaborative approach. This includes Clinical Lead for Chronic Pain and Advanced practitioners in chronic pain, [Physiotherapists] all with highly specialist training and years of experience in chronic pain. We have close links to other services including social prescribers, talking therapies, GPs as well as Musculoskeletal services.
We are based out of a range of locations including:
- Ashfields Health Centre
- Church View Medical Centre
- Weaverham Clinic
- Eagle Bridge Health Centre
- Wharton Health Centre
- Dene Drive Medical Centre
- Rope Green Medical Centre
- Victoria Infirmary Northwich
- Oaklands Medical Centre
Your initial appointment will be either a one hour in person appointment or a 30 minute over the telephone, if you feel you require a face to face appointment this can be requested when you are referred. You will be sent questionnaires via mail or text message to complete prior to your appointment.
These include -
Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7)
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
If you are not able to complete these please do not worry, we can complete these with you on your appointment.
Referral can be via a range of health professionals, if you wish to gain access to the Community Pain Management Service, we suggest you discuss this with GP in the first instance.
Please inform the health care professional who is referring into the service, if you have any additional needs so this can be added to the referral form and highlighted to the community pain team. The team will endeavour to support with reasonable adjustments when you are triaged, and an appointment allocated.
Below are several recourses that we would encourage you to visit before your first visit. This will facilitate our assessment and help you understand chronic pain in more depth.
Professor Lorimer Mosely, The Pain Revolution , April 2017 - YouTube
12 Practical Pain Self-management Tools - Pain Toolkit
Pain flare-up management CCICP MSK reprint April 2024
Understanding Pain leaflet Feb 2023
We work in partnership with our secondary care team this team consists of Consultant Anaesthetists and Acute Pain Specialist Nurses. You may have been already seen by this team prior to your referral to the community team. We hold a joint clinic once a month where we aim for a joined up approach ensuring patient's care in fully integrated between the two services.
Cheshire East - Everybody Health - https://everybody.org.uk/what-we-offer/get-fit-and-healthy/health/#services
Cheshire West - Brio Leisure - https://www.brioleisure.org/what-we-offer/wellbeing
Social Prescribing:
Cheshire East - https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/health-matters/public-health/social-prescribing.aspx
Cheshire West and Chester - https://www.livewell.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/Services/3863
Donna-Marie Lord – Clinical Lead
Donna-Marie is the Clinical Lead for the service and has a nursing background.
She has worked in chronic pain management in community settings for 15 years. She also has vast experience in acute pain management, theatres and intensive care. Donna-Marie graduated with an MSc in pain management from Leicester University. In the chronic pain service Donna-Marie specialises in opioid addiction, withdrawal and complex mental health issues along with analgesic optimisation.
She also regularly gives lectures and presents at scientific meetings. In 2022 Donna-Marie was awarded Queens Nurse for her work in the community.
Dan Ward - MSK Specialist Physiotherapist and Advanced Pain Practitioner
Dan qualified as a Physiotherapist in 2016. During his employment with the trust Dan has completed several of his junior rotations before choosing to specialise in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and, more recently Chronic Pain. Dan has a special interest in Chronic pain, and has completed a Masters Module in the Psychosocial aspects of Pain. Dan's favourite part of his job is providing support to people with chronic pain and empowering them to self-manage their pain through a combination of education and exercise, and where appropriate a little bit of humour. Dan gets his exercise by running around after his young family, but where possible he does like to engage in cycling, kettlebell workouts and circuit training.
Stuart Cameron - Advanced Clinical Specialist – Chronic Pain, Non-Medical Prescriber and Acupuncturist
After qualifying as a Physiotherapist in 2006 Stuart began his career in Out-Patients working with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions before developing a keen interest in Chronic pain in 2015. Since then, Stuart has worked in the Community Pain Service and manages a complex patient caseload covering musculoskeletal and other long-term conditions with a Biopsychosocial approach to managing the condition.
To assist the management process, he can offer Acupuncture as an adjunct to treatment and has been registered with the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) since 2007. He also qualified as a Non-Medical Prescriber in 2016, which allows him to monitor, reduce and optimise medication in collaboration with a GP and other Healthcare Professionals.
Suzanne Whitfield - MSK Specialist Physiotherapist and Advanced Pain Practitioner
Suzanne qualified as a physiotherapist in 2020, completing numerous rotations in the trust she soon developed a special interest in chronic pain management in MSK physiotherapy. She has been working in the Chronic Pain Team since 2023. Suzanne is passionate about helping her patients overcome physical challenges and improve their overall well-being to regain confidence in movement and improve their overall quality of life. Suzanne is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and is a qualified menopause coach, with a special interest in pelvic health, offering support to patients in an often challenging and misunderstood stage in life especially in chronic pain settings.
Laura Latham Advanced - Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist (Spinal) and Advanced Pain Practitioner
Laura qualified as a Physiotherapist in 2004 and completed three years of clinical rotations in Mid Yorkshire and Tameside before deciding to specialise in Musculoskeletal Outpatients. Further job roles in Warrington and Knutsford enabled her to gain more valuable experience whilst completing a three-year Yoga diploma and training to become a Pilates Instructor.
Laura joined Mid Cheshire in 2021 as a Spinal Specialist Physio but soon requested to join the Chronic Pain service, as this has always been an interest of hers. She takes a holistic approach to pain management, utilising yoga, mindfulness, pilates and relaxation techniques. She enjoys motivating patients for change and helping them to explore different exercise techniques with confidence. Her key interests involve spinal and pelvic pain. Outside of work, Laura enjoys being in nature, dog walking, yoga, pilates, weight training and pickleball.
