"Privatisation of pain management in Lincolnshire"

The Pain management service in Lincolnshire was working very well until it’s privatisation in April 2019.

I thought the transfer of the service to the new provider was a complete disaster, poorly managed and I saw serious negative consequences for patients.

Some key treatments were arbitrarily removed from April leaving us without a viable option.

The one size fits all reduced treatment completely disregarded patients with complex conditions.

Neither were patients consulted prior to their treatment being stopped.

Staff at the new provider were not sufficiently trained ready for the April deadline and many positions were vacant.

Connect Healths mantra and strap line is ‘ learning to live with severe pain” 

Great sounding marketing pitch but we found it failed totally in examining and dealing with people in severe pain , multiple issues, that need a wider range of care.

Patient centred care seems to have been parked in the lay bye as every patient is made to fit into the reduced treatments offered.