I was recently invited to speak at the International Chronic Pain Virtual Summit. The topic was Chronic Pain and COVID-19. Preparing the presentation gave me an opportunity to reflect on the past few months and the changes and challenges that we have been presented with whilst also considering the potential consequences for the future of pain management.
Perhaps surprisingly, when I think about the changes, the first thing that comes to mind are the silver linings this great cloud has brought. As a psychologist working in a NHS pain and fatigue service we have been promoting the benefits of accessing services virtually for years and had been offering consultations via Skype and telephone for years but take up had been slow. People using the service didn’t have the confidence to use the technology or weren’t convinced that the experience could be as good as an unperson consultation. Now though many more people are realising that, although it is a different experience, the downsides are outweighed by the benefits of not having to travel, not having to expose themselves to viruses and not having the hassle of finding a parking space or sitting in a waiting room.
I am a firm believer that there are massive opportunities for the delivery of pain and fatigue management services to be delivered. It is not just a question of making consultations more convenient for everyone concerned. There is a moral imperative to reduce the time people spend in cars, reduce the amount of out planet which is covered in parking spaces and reduce the time that people have to spend away from the things which matter to them.