Chronic Pain HIT 2022-23

Welcoming a new leadership team

After three successful years leading the Chronic Pain HIT, Director Candy McCabe, Project Manager Ali Llewellyn and Project Support Charlotte Spence stepped down from the HIT in 2023.

Dr Jenny Lewis, Associate Professor of Clinical Research at the School for Health and Social Wellbeing, UWE and Senior Clinical Research Occupational Therapist at the Royal United Hospitals, Bath has been appointed as the new HIT director. Jenny was previously a member of the Chronic Pain HIT Executive Team. Jenny will be supported by Carla Southworth from the Bristol Health Partners core team.

Improving communication between healthcare practitioners and people with chronic pain

People with chronic pain can feel dismissed, misunderstood, and ‘on their own’, when discussing their symptoms with healthcare professionals. A series of short videos have been produced by healthcare professionals working in specialist Chronic Pain services, Palliative and End of Life care, and by a person with lived experience. The videos seek to help healthcare professionals feel better equipped to assess and supportively converse with people with chronic pain.

These videos have now been shared with and evaluated by key stakeholders. Another two videos in the series are planned for 2023-24.

Connecting the chronic pain community through research webinars

The HIT ran two well-attended webinars in spring and autumn 2022. Another webinar is planned for autumn 2023.

Ensuring the views of people with pain are included in research

Members of the HIT Executive committee and wider membership continue to contribute to the Advanced Pain Discovery Platform UKRI/Versus Arthritis funded bid, which is led by Professor Edmund Keogh from the University of Bath. HIT members were pivotal in recruiting public contributors with chronic pain, including a diverse range of ages and ethnic backgrounds, to the Patient and Public Involvement workstream, to work alongside the researchers.