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talkhealth went to Parliament

parliamentOn December 7th, talkhealth was kindly invited to attend an event organised by the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition (CPPC) in the Houses of Parliament. The event, which was titled ‘Living better with Chronic Pain: The Vital Role of Primary Care’, consisted of a number of presentations by high level speakers and parliamentary officials.

The aim of the event was to address key issues that surrounded the topic of chronic pain, including the prescribing of opioids, the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals and the role of primary care in pain management. Prior to this event, talkhealth conducted a chronic pain survey in collaboration with the CPPC to better understand the chronic pain patient experience. The main objective of the survey was to gather insights from patients that live with chronic pain, and more specifically, find out more about their relationship with their medications and healthcare provider.

1,027 of you completed this survey, and your feedback provided great insights which were presented at the parliamentary event. A summary of results from the survey are detailed below.

 

chart_q5_161206‘What condition are you living with that is the main contributor causing your chronic pain?’
• 24% Arthritis
• 23% Back Pain
• 20% Fibromyalgia
• 7% Nerve Damage
• 4% Migraines
• 21% Other

With responses including ‘joint pain’, ‘lupus’, ‘crohns’, ‘ME’ or a combination of conditions.

 

 

‘What healthcare practitioner (if any) normally helps you manage your chronic pain? Please select all that apply.’
• 87% GP
• 25% Pain specialist
• 18% Physiotherapist
• 11% Pharmacist

‘Do you take regular medication for your pain?’ – 87% Yes, 13% No.

‘Do you experience side effects from the pain medication you take?’ – 63% Yes, 37% No.

 

chart_q11_161205‘When did your GP last review your pain medication?’
• 23% 1-3 months ago
• 20% less than a month ago
• 15% 6 months-1 year ago
• 15% 3-6 months ago
• 12% never
• 10% 1-3 years ago
• 3% 3-5 years ago
• 2% 5-10 years ago

‘Do you feel your GP understands how to treat chronic pain’ – 51% No, 49% Yes.

 

The presentation brought to light a number of issues and concerns which affect the chronic pain community every day. talkhealth aims to continue to support organisations like the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition to ensure the treatment of patients continues to improve. If you are living with chronic pain, or you have any questions about the survey results, please feel free to contact us at info@talkhealthpartnership.com.

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