Older people’s chronic pain needs “neglected”

Older people in the UK are having their chronic pain management needs neglected, a recent survey of carers has claimed.

According to the research, 19 per cent of patients openly contemplate suicide as a result of their chronic pain, while 39 per cent of non-professional carers believe that healthcare professionals never review their patient’s pain level, or do so infrequently.

The survey also found that 51 per cent of carers felt their parent’s pain was managed “adequately”, but not well, with 31 per cent stating it was managed “poorly or very poorly”.

Katherine Murphy, director of communications at the Patients Association, said: “The government must take the lead on this initiative as it is clear that older people’s chronic pain is still being neglected.”

She added that GPs should be better educated on pain management and information regarding the pain management solutions should be made more available to both the general public and to carers.

In August, BBC Radio 4 presented a programme regarding what it termed ‘the Shipman effect’, which reported on claims that some GPs had altered their prescription of painkillers for palliative care in the aftermath of the murders by Dr Harold Shipman.