The ’return-to-work’ expectations of people with chronic pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the experiences and expectations of return-to-work input in people with chronic pain.
IRAS ID
111904
Contact name
Anne E.K Roberts
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Plymouth University
Research summary
Work, as in paid employment, has been recognised as good for both individuals and society, with sickness absence and worklessness costing the economy. There have been numerous initiatives and Government drivers aimed at returning people to and/or maintaining them in work and some have targeted the NHS as a way of addressing this. Historically, services aimed at people with chronic pain, such as through NHS Pain clinics and pain management programmes see people who have been out of work, or at least ’off sick’, for a considerable length of time, but who may have seen many other health practitioners.
It is unknown what these patients’ specific experiences of any return-to-work input is and what their expectations of receiving assistance to return to work. Therefore this MSc study aims to explore this through semi-structure interviews of working-age patients referred to a NHS pain clinic. It will aim to address gaps currently identified in the literature and it is hoped that documenting and analysing this data will allow themes to emerge that may lead to a greater understanding of this patient group’s previous experiences of any attempts at ’return-to-work’ input and, therefore, may indicate areas for further, specific research and potential service improvements.
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EM/0037
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jun 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion