Special pain management service in West Suffolk helps 400 people

People who suffer from chronic pain in west Suffolk have been able to access a new service which enables them to manage their condition and cut down their reliance on medication and the number of visits to a GP or hospital.

The West Suffolk Community Pain Management Service began a year ago and has helped more than 400 people.

It offers personal self management plans and education to understand pain and pain management, access to physiotherapy sessions, psychological support plus a six week pain management programme.

People are referred by their GP or a health care professional and the servcice is delivered through the the Suffolk GP Federation, made up from 61 GP practices which care for 360,000 patients.

One service user Valerie Johnstone, from Brandon, has had persistant back, shoulder and neck pain as a result of excessive curvature of the spine.

She said: “I had tried so many treatments for pain relief in the past with little or no success. However this has been amazing.”

From April 1 the service will be based at Drovers House, Hillside Road, Bury.