Bristol Children's Hospital Paediatric Pain Clinic
We provide the outpatient Pain Clinic Service for Bristol Children's Hospital. Patients can access the medical, psychology and physiotherapy expertise of the National Service.
Patients with chronic pain can access multidisciplinary specialist pain assessments, followed by brief, highly specialised Psychology and Physiotherapy interventions.
Who can refer?
Referrals can come from any senior BCH member of staff, but the patient has to be under a BCH consultant to be eligible.
What does the service do?
We treat young people with chronic pain, using a rehabilitation approach . We can carry out a medication review, but prescribing will not be the focus, in line with the evidence base for children's pain. We focus on helping young people to function better and thrive, even if pain stays for a while.
What doesn't the service do?
We do not do interventions, and we have no specific access to novel analgesics. We don't treat young people who have major medical or surgical treatments coming in the near future.
How treatment works
Assessments are online. Treatment is face to face, psychology and / or physiotherapy. Parents are usually involved and can also have their own sessions.
How to prepare the patient
It is helpful to be realistic about what the pain clinic can achieve. We are unlikely to cure a child's chronic pain. It is helpful to emphasise that the evidence supports a rehabilitation approach to paediatric chronic pain.
Contact us and Refer
Please do get in touch with us via the BCPS contact page.
Referrals are to Dr Valerie Rogers, Consultant in Paediatric Pain, and can be emailed to ruh-tr.RNHRDPMUenquiries@nhs.net