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www.action-on-pain.co.uk  Action on Pain. Providing support and advice for people affected by chronic pain.

www.britishpainsociety.org British Pain Society. A wide-range of health-care professionals contribute to this society to advance the understanding and management of pain for the benefit of patients. There is a useful section on ‘people living with pain’ which contains useful information and publications for patients.

www.healthtalkonline.org Health Talk Online. An award-winning charity led by researchers at the University of Oxford which lets you share in other peoples experiences of health and illness.

www.livewellwithpain.co.uk Visit the My live well with pain section of this website for the following: Free techniques that people with persistent pain have found useful for helping them to live well with pain. In a variety of formats including booklets, leaflets, video and audio resources. An excellent resource developed by experienced pain clinicians drawing on their clinical experience.

www.mind.org.uk MIND. A mental health charity offering information and advice to people with mental health problems.

www.nhs.uk NHS Choices. The public-facing website of the NHS, its pages provide information on conditions and treatments. Also includes directories of local services.

www.painconcern.org.uk Pain Concern. Provides information, factsheets and leaflets to support patients to manage their pain. 

www.paintoolkit.org www.paintoolkit.ork/resources/podcasts An excellent information booklet, which gives an overview of 12 Pain Toolkit (self-management) Tools. Also contains useful websites for more information and support.  There are also various Podcasts available to listen to from the author Pete Moore.

www.patient.co.uk. This provides non-medical people with good quality information on health as it is written by medical professionals based on good quality evidence. There are links to helpful websites in the web directory.

www.selfmanagementuk.org. Free self-management courses providing tools to help you take control of your life and help your condition on a daily basis.

www.taoist.org/uk Taoist Tai Chi Society of Great Britain. A registered charity teaching Tai Chi to people to help improve their wellbeing.

www.u3a.org.uk The University of the Third Age. Lifelong learning organisation for older people no longer working. They offer a wide range of different interest groups.

Specific Pain Conditions

https://www.britishpainsociety.org/people-with-pain/useful-addresses/. The British Pain Society has put together a list of organisations providing support, covering 33 different pain categories:

1. Ankylosing Spondylitis
2. Arthritis
3. Back pain
4. Cancer
5. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
6. Cystitis
7. Disability
8. Dystonia
9. Endometriosis
10. Fibromyalgia
11. General
12. Gout
13. Herpes
14. Intestinal disorders
15. Kidney
16. Lichen Planus
17. Lupus
18. Meningitis
19. Mesothelioma
20. ME
21. Migraine
22. Motor Neurone
23. MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
24. Osteoporosis
25. Paget’s Disease
26. Pain
27. Parkinson’s
28. Pelvic Pain
29. Polio
30. Shingles
31. Stroke
32. Trigeminal Neuralgia
33. Vulval pain

Pain Service Useful Resources

Reading List

https://www.britishpainsociety.org/people-with-pain/suggested-reading-list/. The British Pain Society has also put together a suggested reading list on self-help books. Some are written by people who have pain and others by health-care professionals working in pain management. For example:

1. Overcoming Chronic Pain. Frances Cole, Helen Macdonald, Catherine Carus & Hazel Howden-Leach (2010) London: Robinson ISBN 978-1-84119-970-2

This book uses cognitive behavioural therapy techniques to help reduce the experience of pain. Amongst many aspects it explores practical ways to improve sleep and relaxation, shows you how to become fitter and pace your activities and looks at ways to maintain healthy relationships.

Please look on the link for other reading resources.

Patient Publications

https://www.britishpainsociety.org/people-with-pain/patient-publications/

The British Pain Society guidelines have accompanying patient leaflets, which are reviewed three yearly. Examples include:

‘opioids aware’, ‘understanding and managing long-term pain’ and medication specific leaflets.

Opioids Aware

http://www.fpm.ac.uk/faculty-of-pain-medicine/opioids-aware. This is a resource for both patients and practitioners to support opioid prescribing.

Understanding and managing long-term pain

https://www.britishpainsociety.org/static/uploads/resources/files/Understanding_and_Managing_Long-term_Pain_Final2015.pdf. This booklet has been produced to help patients understand and manage their pain.

Local Information

Herefordshire & Worcestershire Healthy Minds: www.healthyminds.whct.nhs.uk/

Healthy Minds supports people aged 16 and over, who are experiencing problems such as stress, anxiety, low mood and depression. We help people improve their mental wellbeing through a range of interventions such as short courses, online therapies, and guided self-help.

You can access this service by referring online or by telephone call:

• If you live in Herefordshire refer online or call: 01432 220507
• If you live in Worcestershire refer online or call: 03000135727

Or ask your GP to refer you.

There is also a resource directory with details of services provided by statutory and voluntary sectors. From employment, voluntary work, education, leisure, legal services, support, therapies and Worcestershire Walking Network, etc.