Service inclusion criteria
- Patient is motivated to engage in a self-management approach to pain
- Patient demonstrates an understanding of self-management approach/ understanding of cognitive model/ psychologically minded.
Service exclusion criteria
- English not first language/ sensory problems precluding group
- Active Psychosis
- Severe cognitive impairment
- Patient still seeking or involved in active treatment, or those seeking a ‘diagnosis’ (often with the aim of a ‘cure’)
- Psychological/psychiatric problem that is a primary concern or which precludes group CBT approaches, for example:-
- Anxiety related behaviour interferes with functioning More than pain
- Motivational deficits related more to depression than pain
- Clear suicidal intent and planning
- Primary alcohol or drug problems
- Severe disability such that individual cannot manage demands of programme
Situations to be discussed with team
- Where the patient has an ongoing social situation which is unlikely to support changes encouraged by pain management programme
- Where the patient is engaged in ongoing litigation
- Where there are unaddressed and/or an intense sense of grievance about cause of pain and/or medical investigations/treatment.
