Welcome to the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists

The Faculty of Pain Medicine is the professional body responsible for the training, assessment, practice and continuing professional development of specialist medical practitioners in the management of pain in the UK. We support a multi-disciplinary approach to pain management informed by evidence-based practice and research.

Find out how you can join the Faculty

Evolving challenges in delivering a pain service during the COVID-19 pandemic

We've developed a live resource which captures key challenges, relevant guidance and information to support local decision-making for pain services during COVID-19.

Find support in managing the challenges of COVID-19

Latest news

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Seeking your views on Surgery & Opioids Guidance
7 September 2020
The FPM/RCoA Opioid Prescribing Project Working Party are pleased to release, ‘Surgery & Opioids: Best Practice Guidelines 2020' for open consultation. This document has been developed by a multidisciplinary working party and we would now like to seek wider views on the final draft.
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Updated guidance on best practice in epidural analgesia
1 September 2020
The Faculty, alongside the RCoA, AoA, RPS, RCN, SBNS and APAGBI, have published updated guidance on Best Practice in the Management of Epidural Analgesia in the Hospital Setting.
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NICE guidance on Perioperative care in adults
19 August 2020
The Faculty is pleased there has been a NICE review of Perioperative care in adults. It is important to note that the newly published guideline NG180 does not cover the entire perioperative pathway.

Essential Pain Management UK

EPM provides a simple structure to teach the complex subject of pain.

  • Recognise
  • Assess
  • Treat

Since 2014, we have been using the EPM structure in the UK as a mechanism for training medical students, post-graduate doctors and a variety of allied healthcare professionals in pain management.

Find out more about EPM UK

Are you currently training in Pain Medicine? Register with us to receive our Trainee newsletter and keep up to date with all training developments and events

Register here

Information for patients and carers

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For patients and relatives

Information for patients and relatives about medications, interventions and pain medicine
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Patient information leaflets

Information leaflets for patients on medications, interventions and driving
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FPM 10 Patient Stories
Patient testimonials highlighting the positive work that pain specialists undertake, collected during the Faculty's 10th anniversary in 2017

Upcoming Events

Opioids Aware

Opioids Aware is an internationally renowned online resource for patients and healthcare professionals to support prescribing of opioid medicines for pain. This resource was developed in collaboration with Public Health England.

Learn more about opioids

Faculty Publications

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Guidelines and publications
Access various guidelines and publications published and endorsed by the Faculty, including clinical guidelines and statements
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Core Standards
Core Standards for Pain Management Services (CSPMS) is a collaborative multidisciplinary publication providing a robust reference source for the planning and delivery of Pain Management Services in the United Kingdom
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Clinical guidelines
Access the Faculty's clinical guidelines and publications, including competencies, procedures, outcome measures and safety checklists

Pain touches everyone.

It is a universal human experience and one of the most common reasons to seek medical advice.

e-PAIN is an interactive, multidisciplinary programme designed to help people learn and better understand pain.

Learn more about e-PAIN