Pain management
Demand for pain services is rising. Pain can often be better managed in the community, particularly for chronic pain, hence this shift in care. A community model integrates with social care and mental health. An increase in the numbers of people training in pain medicine in the community leads to a reduction in hospital-based training. However, the pain prevention and management work undertaken in the community reduces the number of avoidable hospital admissions due to pain and therefore demand decreases for anaesthetists in hospital settings.
Proposed workforce impact
- It could possibly increase demand for pain medicine specialists.
- A reduction in demand in hospitals as a result of a reduction in avoidable hospital admissions may occur.
Sources or references
Additional research questions
- Is this type of integration feasible in the timescale for the review?
- Would the reduction in hospital-based supply be offset by the reduction in demand due to prevention and management in the community?
Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.
