If you are finding it difficult to get the right medication to help with your PHN or if your doctor seems to have run out of ideas, you can ask to be referred to an NHS Pain Clinic. There are also private pain clinics.
If you are not sure if there is a pain clinic near you, we suggest that you go to the National Pain Audit website and select “pain clinic”.
If there is no pain clinic nearby, or if there is a long waiting list, it is worth bringing this matter to the attention of your local council’s ‘Overview and Scrutiny’ committee. Many councils already take a keen interest in the health provision of their residents and current government proposals will mean that every town or county council will soon be given powers to monitor healthcare and ask searching questions. If the service you need is not being provided, make a fuss, starting with one of your local councillors. Ask for your concerns about lack of provision to be raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Local health administrators can be summoned and asked why they are not providing services that are needed.