Chronic pain management service

Chronic pain is defined as pain persisting beyond the normal healing process. It is sometimes defined as pain lasting for more than 3 months.

Unlike acute pain, which improves as healing progresses, chronic pain causes the individual to experience physiological and psychological symptoms, which can lead to significant and prolonged disability.

The Chronic Pain Management Service offers a wide range of medical and non-medical interventions for people living with chronic pain. We are an interdisciplinary team with expertise in management and treatment of chronic pain. 

Our goal is to improve pain control, support adaptive changes to improve daily function, productivity and overall quality of life. The multidisciplinary team includes consultants in pain medicine, clinical psychologists, physiotherapists, a pain specialist nurse, an acupuncturist, an Alexander technique teacher and office support staff.

We accept referrals for patients:

  • Who are over 18
  • Have been in pain for more than 3 months
  • Have failed to respond to standard pain relief treatments
  • Have severe and intractable pain and need help managing this

Please refer to appropriate specialist if the patient is requesting a diagnosis for their condition.

All NHS GP referrals must be submitted using the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). Referrals sent by email or post from NHS GPs will not be processed.

We accept referrals from GPs in:

  • Kingston
  • Richmond
  • Roehampton
  • Putney
  • East Elmbridge
  • Merton
  • Wandsworth
  • Sutton

Urgent Referral to Pain Clinic

The following conditions require time sensitive interventions within a narrow time window:

  • Suspected Complex Regional Pain Syndrome within 6 months of onset – Please start management at time of referral
  • Complication from a Pain Service procedure excluding conditions that require acute admission

Routine Referral to Pain Clinic

The pain service is designed to help with the management of severe, intractable pain. Patients should have tried appropriate analgesia to improve their function, and received physiotherapy, prior to referral. Routine referrals include the following:

  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome over 6 months of onset
  • Chronic Post Surgical Pain Syndromes
  • Cervical and thoracic pain with red flags and alternative pathologies excluded that do not need spinal surgical review
  • Chronic abdominal, groin and pelvic pain with no alternative pathology found and all specialised medical and surgical options exhausted.
  • Neuropathic pain syndromes and disorders where all usual Primary Care management has been exhausted
  • Chronic pain syndromes where all usual Primary Care management has been exhausted
  • Complex medication or escalating strong analgesic needs, with red flags excluded, all medical and surgical options exhausted, no new pathology and Primary Care measures have been undertaken

Referrals for Pain Management therapy should be made to Pain Clinic, the consultant will triage depending on individual need into the appropriate parts of the service.

The secondary care pain management programme is designed to help people learn to live with and around their pain. It is not a cure. It is designed for severe, intractable chronic pain, to help patients with persistent pain live better and happier lives.

Supporting information

For professionals:


For patients: