Physio urges prescribers of all disciplines to improve pain assessments

A physiotherapist has called for the use of better pain assessment models among non-medical prescribers of pain medication.

Thumbnail

Paul Cameron, national lead clinician for chronic pain in Scotland

CSP member Paul Cameron, national lead clinician for chronic pain in Scotland, was speaking at a national conference on non-medical prescribing for pain, held in London on 10 February.

The event, attended by nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists, aimed to provide updated information for current and aspiring non-medical prescribers who prescribe for pain.

Dr Cameron told delegates it was essential for non-medical prescribers to maintain their competence and skills so they could prescribe for painin an effective way.

To help achieve this he outlined the pros and cons of a variety of pain assessment models, including the World Health Organization’s three-step ‘pain ladder’, which is commonly used as a framework for providing symptomatic pain relief.

‘A detailed and comprehensive pain assessment, that appreciates the unique patterns of pain types, can lead to improved medication rationalisation, which will ultimately improve a patient’s treatment and their outcomes,’ he said.

Delegates heard that the advantages of adopting an alternative and improved model of pain assessment could also include

  • improved decision making about the best pain analgesic and adjuvant medication to use
  • earlier recognition of when an analgesic is not correct or optimal
  • an improved awareness of the placing of medication in the overall treatment pathway

The conference highlighted that pain is a growing area of non-medical prescribing, as indicated by a 2010 survey of members of the Association for Prescribers. The results found that 50 per cent of members prescribed for pain.

Author: Robert Millett

Number of subscribers: 0

Log in to comment and read comments that have been added