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Patients & Visitors

Anaesthesia

Chronic Pain Services

Chronic pain is common, affecting around 1 in 5 people. Living with chronic (persistent) pain can have a significant impact on daily life, work, relationships and wellbeing. Our approach recognises that pain is complex and individual, and that effective care often involves a combination of medical, physical and psychological support.

Helpful Resources

You may find the following resources useful:

Pain information for patients (Royal College of Anaesthetists)

These resources may be helpful alongside the care provided by your local pain team.

Local Pain Services at RUH

Based in purpose-built facilities in the Brownsword Therapies Centre, our local Chronic Pain Service is a multidisciplinary team that includes:

  • Consultant pain specialists
  • Specialist pain nurses
  • Psychologists
  • Therapists and administrative staff

The service supports adults with a wide range of persistent pain conditions, including:

  • Back pain and spinal pain
  • Sciatica
  • Neuropathic pain
  • Post-surgical pain
  • Complex long-term non-cancer pain

Patients are seen as outpatients and may be offered:

  • Specialist assessment and advice
  • Education and self-management support
  • Psychological approaches to pain
  • Physical rehabilitation strategies
  • Interventional pain procedures where appropriate

The service sees over 1,000 new patients each year and performs several hundred image-guided procedures annually.

Our Approach to Chronic Pain

Our pain services are based on the understanding that:

  • Pain does not always mean ongoing tissue damage
  • Improving movement, confidence and coping skills can reduce the impact of pain
  • Education and self-management are central to long-term improvement

We aim to:

  • Treat patients with compassion and respect
  • Offer evidence-based care tailored to individual needs
  • Work collaboratively with patients and referrers
  • Support people to live well, even when pain cannot be completely removed

Bath National Pain Centre, based at the RUH, is a leading provider of nationally commissioned NHS specialist pain rehabilitation in the UK, offering multiple treatment packages. We support patients of all ages, from childhood to older adulthood, including those with complex care needs. Delivered in purpose-built modern facilities, our residential programmes are designed to reduce pain-associated disability and minimise the impact of pain on a person's life.

We have highly specialised programmes for specific patient groups, including Children and Families, Young Adults (18-25), Severely Affected adults, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Post-Cancer Treatment ("Late Effects") pain. Our research-active centre is committed to advancing pain rehabilitation practice.

Referrals
  • Local Pain Services: Referrals are usually made by GPs or hospital consultants via NHS pathways.
  • Bath National Pain Centre: Referrals follow national commissioning criteria and pathways, detailed on the Centre's website.

Further Information

If you have questions about pain services at the RUH, please speak to your GP or hospital clinician, who can advise on referral options. For information on pain during your hospital stay please visit our acute pain services page.


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