Re-Opening of Chronic Pain Management Services following lock down during the COVID-19 Pandemic – the Second Situational Survey
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way we work, deliver care and deliver specialist training. The FPM has produced extensive guidance on managing various aspects of clinical care and the necessary changes to adapt to working with COVID (1).
In May 2020 the FPM undertook an initial situational survey examining the changes of delivery in chronic pain management during the early phases of lock down. That survey showed a profound impact of COVID on pain practice. 25% of clinicians reported that their services had been fully suspended. There was a significant shift towards telephone and video consultations and around 90% of units had stopped all procedure lists. There was significant redeployment of pain staff to contribute to the health requirements of the COVID pandemic.
A second COVID survey was subsequently undertaken open for a three week period from the 6th August 2020 until the 31st August 2020. The central aims of this second survey were to consider the state of re-opening, the clinical changes made in pain management in the NHS and to collate the experiences of Fellows of the FPM. This second survey was designed to capture the varying experiences of Fellows during the evolution of care and the adaptations and initiatives undertaken since the outbreak of COVID across the United Kingdom. The initial survey would provide a useful reference point for an analysis of change.
1. https://www.fpm.ac.uk/standards-publications-workforce-guidelines-publi…
