PROactive chronic pain collabo

PROactive is a new collaborative partnership between the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH). It brings together academics and clinicians from a range of different research groups. All of the research projects and topic areas are focused on a health condition where chronic pain is a common patient experience.

The membership of PROactive is formed from NHS clinical research groups based at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, plus researchers from the Centre for Health and Clinical Research at UWE. PROactive is also open to members of the RUH who have a research focus on chronic pain, and the group is supported by the RUH academic library service. The majority of PROactive members are also involved with either the Integrated Pain Management Health Integration Team (IPM HIT) or the Bristol Bones and Joints HIT.

All research undertaken by PROactive will cover one or more of the following themes:

• Therapeutic approaches and innovation: including new non-pharmacological ways to restore function, improve quality of life and to alleviate pain
• Health services research: focusing on developing and evaluating innovative models of patient management to enhance the clinical and cost-effectiveness of services, from community through to tertiary care
• Mechanisms: developing knowledge and understanding associated with chronic pain and sensorimotor impairment, with the aim of identifying targets that improve patient outcomes
• Measurement: including the development of questionnaires and surveys to assist collection of patient outcome data
• Patient, professional and public engagement in research: including designing and co-creation of new research that is of use and value to the health service
• Psychological and behavioural: focusing on all areas of rehabilitation research as potentially having a psychological aspect in addition to physical aspects

To celebrate the launch of PROactive, they are holding an informal event on Thursday 8 September 2016, from 3-5pm at UWE Frenchay Campus. Join them to find out more about their research aims, themes and projects. To request an invitation, please email [email protected].

You can also follow the PROactive group via Twitter: @PROactive2016