Projects and activities

Experiences of Chronic Pain in Weston-super-Mare

This primary care network-wide survey aimed to capture patients’ experiences living with chronic pain within the Weston-Super-Mare, Worle and Villages localities. Questions included pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of pain management, pain education and experiences with attending pain clinics. The survey was shared with patients living with chronic pain via digital means by the Weston Pain Clinic and Pier Health Group. 2298 patients completed this survey between July and October 2025. Read the report.

Key findings:

75% (n = 1717) of respondents had not attended or been referred to a pain clinic.
65% (n = 1488) had never received pain education
50% (n=1145) wanted to have further conversations or learn more about pain
45% (n = 611) of those within working age, were not working (n=1358, 59% of the total respondents)
Most participants (80%; n = 1831) were using medication to manage their pain
Of these, approximately 30% wanted to reduce their medication and 29% did not know how or with whom to start a conversation about medication reduction
74% (n = 1694) of participants were already using a range on non-pharmacological methods of pain management and were open to trying other forms

Media coverage

Dr Krisztina Kenesey, Consultant in Pain Medicine at Weston General Hospital, talks about chronic pain and the HIT’s work in Weston-super-Mare on BBC news