Acute Pain Service

Services We Offer

The Acute Pain Service (APS) provides an inpatient consultative service to surgical and medical wards within the hospital.

The majority of our caseload relates to post-operative pain, with our primary focus being on patient-controlled analgesia, and epidural and plexus infusions (e.g. brachial and lumbar plexus). We are keen to be involved in the management of other acute pain problems, for example, following trauma such as rib or long bone fractures. We are also happy to be contacted for over the phone advice.

Department Contact Details

In working hours 0800 to 1600 Monday to Friday page Acute Pain CNC, Lyn Hellier (pager 4120).

After hours page Anaesthetic Registrar on call, pager 4823.

The APS is happy to be contacted at any time regarding the management of patients with acute pain. Please phone us and ensure that a purple consultation form is placed in the patient’s medical notes.

Please note that patients with acute presentations of acute back pain, and those with acute exacerbations of chronic pain are more appropriately referred to the Pain Management Centre

Physical Location

Offices for APS staff are located in the Anaesthetic Department, 1st floor, G Block.

About Us

The service operates within a multi-disciplinary framework, with a philosophy promoting close liaison with surgical teams and physiotherapy services to facilitate early post-surgical rehabilitation and recovery. The service has a close association with the chronic Pain Management Clinic and Palliative Care Unit.

A round of all APS patients is conducted Monday to Saturday mornings.

Staff

Director Acute Pain Service

Dr Lindy Roberts

Consultant Anaesthetist

Dr Brien Hennessy

Consultant Anaesthetist

Dr Steve Myles

Acute Pain CNC

Lyn Hellier

Education and Research Activities

A competency-based education program for nursing staff is carried out in surgical areas.

As well as this, the Clinical Nurse Consultant regularly presents education sessions to groups such as participants in the Graduate Diploma in Perioperative Nursing or Notre Dame University nursing undergraduate students.

A study day in Acute Pain Management is offered through the SCGH Centre for Nursing Education.