Pain Clinics

Pain Clinics are multidisciplinary services, bringing together specially trained healthcare professionals.

Treatments aim to reduce pain‑related disability and improve quality of life, rather than to cure pain completely. Not all treatments work for everyone, and responses vary between individuals.

The overall aim is to help people move forward, improve confidence and function, and live as well as possible alongside pain.

Chronic pain can be distressing and disabling. It’s important to remember that ongoing pain does not always mean damage is continuing in the body – pain itself can become a condition.

Pain Clinics focus on helping people understand their pain and regain control over how it affects their lives.

Pain Clinics are multidisciplinary services, bringing together specially trained healthcare professionals, usually including:

• pain medicine specialist doctors (often anaesthetists with specialist pain training)
• clinical psychologists
• specialist nurses
• physiotherapists
• occupational therapists.

Each professional contributes a different perspective to support whole‑person care.

Treatments aim to reduce pain‑related disability and improve quality of life, rather than to cure pain completely. Not all treatments work for everyone, and responses can vary between individuals.

Pain Clinics work in partnership with you and your GP. Your GP remains responsible for day‑to‑day care, prescriptions and ongoing support. Pain Clinics provide specialist assessment and guidance rather than long‑term follow‑up for most patients.

The overall aim is to help people move forward, improve confidence and function, and live as well as possible alongside pain.

How to access Pain Clinics?

Not everyone with chronic pain needs to attend a Pain Clinic. Demand for Pain Clinics is high, and there are agreed referral criteria and waiting times. There are no guaranteed or ‘quick‑fix’ cures. Pain Clinics work closely with your GP, who remains central to your ongoing care.

A referral to a Pain Clinic is usually considered when pain is significantly affecting daily function, and when appropriate first‑line treatments have not been enough.

If you meet the criteria below, ask your GP or a hospital specialist you see to make a referral on your behalf.

Referral criteria for a Pain Clinic

A referral is usually considered when one or more of the following apply:

• pain has been persistent (usually longer than three months)
• pain is significantly affecting daily activities, quality of life, work, sleep or mood
• appropriate first‑line management in primary care has been tried (for example physiotherapy, musculoskeletal (MSK) services or medication review)
• pain is complex or difficult to manage, including neuropathic pain, widespread pain, or has ongoing significant impact despite treatment
• there is a need for specialist multidisciplinary input, such as pain‑specialist physiotherapy, psychology input, medication optimisation or consideration of interventional treatments.

Not everyone who is referred will be offered a clinic appointment.

What to expect from a Pain Clinic

Your first appointment is a detailed discussion to understand your pain and how it affects your life.

During the appointment, you will usually talk about:

• your pain and how it affects day‑to‑day life
• medicines you are taking now or have tried before
• any tests or scans you have had
• how pain affects your mood, sleep, work and relationships
• sometimes a physical examination is performed.

Together, you will agree a personal pain management plan, which will be shared with your GP.

Appointments may be face‑to‑face, by video, or by telephone based on what is safest and most practical.

You will often be asked to fill in detailed questionnaires about your pain before the appointment. These help the pain team understand your pain history and make the best decisions about your care.

Pain Clinic treatments and approaches

Pain Clinics use a whole‑person approach, combining different strategies tailored to individual needs:

Medication review – your consultant may recommend changes to medication. In some cases, reducing or stopping medication can be helpful to minimise side effects or harm.

Interventional procedures – for selected patients, injections or other interventions may be considered. These are used as part of a broader management plan, not as stand‑alone treatments. Some patients may also be offered nurse‑led appointments such as TENS machine support or acupuncture.

Physiotherapy and physical approaches – you may see a senior physiotherapist specialising in persistent pain. The focus is on improving confidence, movement and function, rather than pushing through pain.

Psychology and emotional wellbeing – persistent pain often affects mood, thoughts, sleep and relationships. Psychological support can help patients:

• understand how pain and emotions interact
• develop coping strategies
• reduce anxiety, low mood or frustration
• live well alongside ongoing pain

Support may include one‑off consultations or short courses of therapy.

Pain Management Programmes – some patients may be offered a Pain Management Programme (PMP). These structured group programmes are delivered by multidisciplinary teams and focus on:

• understanding how pain works
• activity pacing and goal setting
• gentle exercise and movement
• stress management and relaxation
• medication understanding
• managing flare‑ups
• communication and work‑related challenges.

PMPs do not aim to remove pain, but they can significantly improve confidence, independence and quality of life.

What Pain Clinics don’t do

Understanding what a Pain Clinic does not do can help set realistic expectations.

Pain Clinics:

• do not offer a cure for long‑term or chronic pain
• do not provide emergency or urgent pain care
• do not focus solely on scans, tests or finding a new diagnosis
• do not routinely prescribe or increase strong opioid medicines
• do not provide treatments or injections on request
• do not usually provide ongoing long‑term follow‑up for all patients
• do not replace the role of your GP or existing healthcare teams.

Any specialist treatments are used only where appropriate and as part of a multidisciplinary pain management approach.

Local Pain Clinics

Weston General Hospital – Main Outpatients (UHBW)
Grange Road, Uphill
Weston‑super‑Mare, Somerset
BS23 4TQ

Southmead Hospital Pain Clinic (NBT)
Gloucester House, Southmead Hospital
Southmead Road, Westbury‑on‑Trym, Bristol
BS10 5NB

www.nbt.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-services/pain-service/pain-clinic

 

Central Health Clinic (UHBW)
Tower Hill, Bristol
BS2 0JD

www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/your-hospitals/other-services-in-bristol/pain-clinic