Around 14 million people in the UK live with chronic pain, (defined as pain lasting more than three months). It is a major health problem, leading to a substantial number of GP consultations as well as affecting ability to work and quality of life.
In trying to raise the public, political and professional awareness of a condition so often overlooked in discussions around health policy a Pain Champion Award as been set up and I received the first Award in 2013. The Award was sponsored by the three main organisations concerned to widen the understanding and improve management of chronic pain: Pain UK, Chronic Pain Policy Coalition and the British Paediatric Association.
One way of helping people in chronic pain would be if health and care professionals routinely asked about pain, measuring and treating as appropriate – treatment including the important element of self management. My contribution to this is to have set up an e-petition and I hope members of the SHA will sign this and share it with family and friends.