Pain Management

Introduction

Pain Management is the medical discipline concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of the entire range of painful disorders.

Because pain impacts on many aspects of people’s lives, pain management is a multi-disciplinary sub-specialty. After assessment by the Consultants in Pain Management, the expertise of a number of disciplines is brought together in an effort to provide the maximum benefit to each patient using a wide range of therapeutic approaches both to attempt to relieve the pain and to equip and empower patients to manage their pain.

Services Provided

The Pain Management Service in Gloucestershire is well established, with active multi-disciplinary Pain Clinics at both the main hospitals as well as at a number of the peripheral sites. A wide range of treatment and management techniques are used.

As well as the specialist Pain Management clinics, we also run a county-wide Pain Management Programme, with groups running in Gloucester and Cheltenham (and Ross on Wye, currently only for Herefordshire residents).

Referral for Acupuncture, Psychology and the Pain Management Programme are made within the clinic after medical assessment of the patients. We are unable to accept direct referrals for these services.

We are also actively involved in training doctors and others in Pain Management: we are one of the centres approved by the Royal College of Anaesthetists for specialist training of future Pain Consultants and the Advanced Pain trainee works alongside the Consultants in the Pain Service. We regularly provide placements for trainee AHP’s.

The Department provides the following Outpatient Services.

• Pain Management Service

The Pain Clinic Operating lists are based in the Chedworth Suite in Cheltenham General, Beeches Ward in Cirencester and the Day Surgery Unit at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Contact Details

For contact details please see individual Clinician's page.

Our Staff

There are six Pain Consultants who each lead a team of specialist doctors, nurses, psychologists and other staff. As a patient you may be seen by the clinician or by a doctor or nurse within their team. The clinician has overall responsibilty for your care.

In addition to the two main Hospitals the Pain Consultants hold Outpatient Clinics at Cirencester, Stroud and Tewkesbury Hospitals.

Cheltenham General Hospital

Outpatient Clinics take place in West Block Outpatients Department.
Inpatient and Day Case Services are carried out at Cheltenham General Hospital.

• Dr. James De Courcy
• Dr. Jonathan Francis
• Dr. Sarah Harper
• Dr. Ann Young

Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Outpatient Clinics take place in the General Outpatients Department.
Inpatient and Day Case Services are carried out at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

• Dr. Patrick Clarke

• Dr. Sarah Harper

Cirencester Hospital

Outpatient Clinics take place in the Main Outpatients Department.
Inpatient and Day Case Services are carried out at Cheltenham General, Gloucestershire Royal, Cirencester or Stroud General Hospital.

• Dr. Jonathan Francis

Stroud General Hospital

Outpatient Clinics take place in Trinity Outpatients Department.
Inpatient and Day Case Services are carried out at Cheltenham General Hospital.