SoCiAl Connect
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative semi-structured interview study which forms work package 2 of a PhD study. Pain specialists, social prescribers / primary health care teams, people experiencing chronic pain, community and voluntary sector workers and a commissioner will be recruited to explore experiences of social prescribing and community asset participation for people living with chronic pain, with particular emphasis on barriers, facilitators, contexts and outcomes.
IRAS ID
350180
Contact name
L I Heelas
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2024/09/31, Data protection
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 26 days
Research summary
Background
Chronic pain is long-term pain affecting muscles and joints. People living with chronic pain explain that pain affects their function, emotional well-being work and sleep. Many patients are treated by pain management services but the change in pain is small. Being physically active helps people to live longer. This could be helpful, because people with chronic pain may have a shorter life. I interviewed people with chronic pain. They told me they would like ongoing support after their treatment in pain management services has finished. They think that clinicians need training about how to care for people with chronic pain.Could social prescribing help to support physical and mental well-being?
Social prescribing involves a healthcare worker referring a patient to a person called a link worker. The link worker provides a social prescription to voluntary and community services such as gardening for well-being, art, dance, museum activities or exercise groups. The link worker gives careful thought to a patient’s wishes, goals and needs. We know that socialising in group activities and cultural activities (such as museums) can improve physical and mental health. We don’t know if it might be more difficult for people with chronic pain to go to these activities.Aim
1. To find out what makes it easy or difficult for people to go to social prescribing and community activities and if these activities support mental and physical health.
2. To develop a care package with the help of people with chronic pain and clinicians. This could support people to access social prescribing.Project design
I will interview 25 people with chronic pain and 15 clinicians, managers, social prescribers and council members. I will share this information in a workshop with people living with chronic pain, so we can work together on designing extra support.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0105
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jun 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion