The McEwen Report - Where are we now? Part 2: Review by Dr Gavin Gordon

Chronic Pain Services in Scotland (known as 'The McEwen Report') was published in 2004.

In this second programme we hear a review of the 'McEwen Report' and its relationship to the 'Kerr Report' and Managed Clinical Networks given by Dr Gavin Gordon, Consultant Anaesthetist at The Victoria Infirmary.

Listen again:
Download hi-fi mp3 24.4Mb
Download lo-fi mp3 12.2Mb
Listen to lo-fi stream

Further reading:

• Chronic Pain Services in Scotland - Report by Professor James McEwen


• Building a Health Service Fit for the Future - The 'Kerr Report'


• Promoting the Development of Managed Clinical Networks in NHSScotland


• Managed Clinical Networks

tags: pain politics health service planning scotland

The McEwen Report - Where are we now? Part 1: Personal view by Dr Mike Basler

Chronic Pain Services in Scotland (known as 'The McEwen Report') was published in 2004. It was commissioned by the Scottish Executive and carried out by Professor James McEwen.

Professor McEwen's remit was:
"Through a process that includes consultation with key stakeholders, including NHS Boards, the Pain Association and Pain Concern (as representatives of the interests of patients), the Scottish Network for Chronic Pain Research, the Physiotherapy
Pain Association, Aberdeen Pain Research Group and individual clinicians with a particular expertise, which includes some members of the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Chronic Pain, to produce a report that:
reviews referral protocols for the treatment of chronic pain;
reviews the current range of services in each of the health boards for treating chronic pain;
draws conclusions about the level of services for treating chronic pain across Scotland, compared to the recommendations made by the 1994 report by a working group of the National Medical Advisory Committee on the Management of Patients with Chronic Pain and the 2000 Clinical Standard Advisory Group Report on Services for
Patients with Pain;
makes recommendations on how to improve the level of service across Scotland."

At the West of Scotland Pain Group meeting on Wednesday 14th December 2005, we discussed the Report and its implications. The meeting was recorded and I have divided it into three parts. In this programme we hear a personal view by Dr Mike Basler, Consultant Anaesthetist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Listen again:
Download hi-fi mp3 34.8Mb
Download lo-fi mp3 17.4Mb
Listen to lo-fi stream

Further reading:

• Chronic Pain Services in Scotland - Report by Professor James McEwen


• Building a Health Service Fit for the Future - The 'Kerr Report'


• Petition Number 374


• SPICe Briefing


• HARLOT plc


• A surrealistic mega-analysis of redisorganization theories

tags: pain politics health service planning scotland

The music in this podcast is by Reza Manzoori and is available for download at magnatune.com. It is played under a Creative Commons License.

Lecture Programme: January to March 2006

West of Scotland Pain Group

Wednesday 11th January 2006
Motivational interviewing & health behaviour change
Dr David Craig, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, NHS Greater Glasgow

Thursday 16th February
Joint meeting with East of Scotland Pain Group, Edinburgh – details of venue to follow
Prof Tony Dickenson, Professor of Neuropharmacology, University College London

Wednesday 8th March
Nurse-led clinics in primary and secondary care
Christine Sinclair, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Middlesborough

Please note new venue and time: all talks will now take place on the second or third Wednesday of the month, at 6.15pm for 7pm, at the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow.

Talks preceded by hot buffet and opportunity to visit trade stands, approximately 6.15pm. Talks will start at 7pm sharp. To add your name to the Group mailing list, or if you have any suggestions for future talks, e-mail: lars.williams@sgh.scot.nhs.uk

These meetings are open to all health professionals with an interest in pain.

Notice of meeting: The McEwen Report - Where Are We Now?

Next Wednesday's meeting (14th December) is the final meeting for 2005, on the topical subject of recent developments surrounding the McEwen Report.
Drs Mike Basler and Gavin Gordon, both of whom have been closely involved in discussions at Scottish Executive level, will be speaking. A hot buffet (sorry about the cold one last month!) will be served at 6.15 pm, followed by the talks at 7pm.

Venue: Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow.

This meeting is open to all healthcare professionals with an interest in pain.

Please note that the lecture and subsequent discussion will be recorded for later publication on the Group's website.

Spiritual aspects of pain

Rev David Mitchell is a minister in the Church of Scotland and Lecturer in Palliative Care in Glasgow.

In his lecture to the West of Scotland Pain Group on Wednesday 23rd November, he challenged the audience with a number of questions:

What is the essence of your spirituality?
Spiritual or religious – what is the difference?
Spiritual pain or spiritual distress – is pain the right word?
What are the indicators of spiritual distress?
How can we help our patients to die in peace?

Listen again:
Download hi-fi mp3 50.4Mb
Download lo-fi mp3 25.2Mb
Listen to lo-fi stream

Further reading:

• Cassidy S. Sharing the Darkness. London: Longman & Todd, 1988.


• Dalai Lama. The Joy of Living and Dying in Peace. London: Thorsons, 1997.


• Kearney M. Mortality Wounded. New York: Touchstone, 1997.


• Kearney M. A Place of Healing. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.


• Mitchell D. Addressing spirituality, spiritual and social aspects of terminal illness. Palliative Care Today 2000.


• Newshan G. Transcending the Physical: Spiritual aspects of pain in patients with HIV and/or cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing 1998; 28: 1236-1241.


• SIGN 44 Control of Pain in Patients with Cancer. Edinburgh: Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network, 2000.


• Stoter D, Hancock C. Spiritual Aspects of Health Care. London: Mosby International, 1995.


• Twycross R. Introducing Palliative Care. 2nd ed. Oxford: Radcliffe Medical Press, 1997.


• Urquart P. Issues of suffering in palliative care. International Journal of Palliative Nursing 1999; 5: 35-39.

tags: pain spirituality palliative care dying

Notice of meeting: Spiritual Pain

Date: Wednesday 23rd November 2005

November's talk will be given by Rev David Mitchell, Chaplain at Huntershill Hospice in Glasgow, and Editor of the Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy. He will be speaking on the spiritual aspects of pain and distress.

As usual, the talk will be preceded by a free buffet, 6.15 for 7pm.

Venue: Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow.

This meeting is open to all healthcare and chaplaincy workers with an interest in pain.

Please note that the lecture and subsequent discussion will be recorded for later publication on the Group's website.

tags: pain suffering spiritual chaplaincy

Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence

The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and Faculty of Pain Medicine have published the second edition of Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence.

Thanks to Jonathan McGhie for bringing this to our attention in the latest edition of Threshold, the newsletter of The North British Pain Association.

NSAIDs in primary care

On Wednesday 12th October 2005, Fiona Allen, Prescribing Support Pharmacist, addressed members of the West of Scotland Pain Group.

In her talk, Fiona Allen discussed the role of the Prescribing Support Pharmacist Team in reviewing patients who have been prescribed NSAIDs and Cox II inhibitors. She also invited pain clinicians to develop closer links with the service, which is based in primary care.

Listen again
View slides as pdf

tags: pain nsaids pharmacy drug safety

Pain Education Programme 2005-2006

Rolling Educational Programme

This tutorial programme has been developed to meet the educational
requirements of anaesthetic trainees in the West of Scotland who wish to
develop a sub-specialty interest in pain management. Although designed
primarily for anaesthetic trainees, the lectures and tutorials are open to
all interested healthcare professionals.

For further information, please contact Dr Pete Mackenzie, Clinical Tutor for Pain Management pete.mackenzie@sgh.scot.nhs.uk or Lars Williams,
Secretary, West of Scotland Pain Group lars.williams@sgh.scot.nhs.uk.

Lectures are to be held at the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow (venue for the West of Scotland Pain Group meetings from October 2005 to May 2006) on Langside Road adjacent to the Victoria Infirmary from 1715 approximately.
The Ebenezer Duncan Centre has been booked from 1600 for all the dates below with the exception of 23rd November when the centre becomes available at 1700.

Lecture Programme
12th October 2005 1715-1815
Overview/Anatomy and Physiology of Pain
Dr Pete Mackenzie

23rd November 2005 1715-1815
Assessment and Measurement of Pain
Dr Mike Basler

14th December 2005 1715-1815
Pharmacological Management of Pain
Dr Ruhy Parris

11th January 2006 1715-1815
Neuropathic Pain
Dr Mick Serpell

8th February 2006 1715-1815
Back and Musculoskeletal Pain
Dr Gavin Gordon

8th March 2006 1715-1815hrs
Acute Pain Management and Outcome after Surgery
Dr Grant Haldane

10th May 2006 1715-1800
Interventional Pain Management
Dr Pete Mackenzie

10th May 2006 1800-1845
Palliative Care/Cancer Pain Management
Dr Paul Keeley

14th June 2006 1715-1800
Advanced SpR Presentation (Topic TBC)
Dr Judith Wilson

14th June 2006 1800-1845
Evidence Based Approach to Treatment
Dr Colin Rae

The SpR in Pain Management will be encouraged to seek out tutorials on other/multidisciplinary topics listed below from a proposed list of speakers within the first 3 months of taking up post.

Tutorials
Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Pain Management/Pain Management Programmes
Dr David Craig/Dr Martin Dunbar

The Role of the Physiotherapist in Chronic Pain Management
TBC

The Role of The Nurse Specialist in Chronic Pain Management/TENS in Pain Management
Sister Anne Hay

Acupuncture in Pain Management
Dr John Brown

Chronic Pain in Children
Dr John Currie

The SpR in Pain Management will circulate details of the lecture programme (and possibly tutorials) as widely as possible to encourage anaesthetic trainees and multi-disciplinary staff to attend.

Winter Programme of Talks 2005-6

West of Scotland Pain Group

Wednesday 12th October
NSAIDs in Primary Care
Fiona Allen (Pharmacy)

Wednesday 23rd November
Spiritual Pain
Rev David Mitchell (Palliative Care)

Wednesday 14th December
The McEwen Report: Where Are We Now?
Dr M Basler (GRI) & Dr G Gordon (Victoria Infirmary)

Please note new venue and time: all talks will now take place on the second or third Wednesday of the month, at 6.15pm for 7pm, at the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow.

Talks preceded by hot buffet and opportunity to visit trade stands, approximately 6.15pm. Talks will start at 7pm sharp. To add your name to the Group mailing list, or if you have any suggestions for future talks, e-mail: lars.williams@sgh.scot.nhs.uk

These meetings are open to all health professionals with an interest in pain.

Parliamentary Questions - 13 June

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-05/wa0613.htm

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ring-fence funding or to establish separate budgets for the treatment of chronic pain.

(S2W-17106)

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive has no such plans. NHS boards are expected to fund services from the unified budgets made available to them by the Executive. The Executive is, however, looking at ways to make a more efficient use of resources. We have made the report of an independent review of chronic pain services available to NHS boards and will be holding a conference to discuss best practice on pain management on 8 July 2005.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take on the recommendations contained in the report of Professor James McEwen on the provision of chronic pain services, with particular reference to the formation of a national managed clinical network.

(S2W-17107)

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive has made Professor McEwen’s report available to NHS boards and will be convening a conference to discuss best practice on pain management on 8 July 2005. The Managed Clinical Network approach to the management of chronic conditions will be considered as part of the conference.

tags: pain scotland scottish mcn

Sativex licence appeal turned down

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today
confirmed that the Medicines Commission has turned down an appeal on the
licensing of Sativex in the UK by GW Pharmaceuticals.

tags: pain sativex cannabinoid

NSAIDs and cardiovascular risk

The BMJ publishes more data on CVS risks of NSAIDs.
The MRHA issues a press statement.
BBC news, The Scotsman, The Sun, The Herald and The Daily Record report the issue.

tags: pain nsaids ibuprofen drugsafety