Pain management service (inpatients) - East
We help individuals manage pain in a way that is appropriate to them, with access to both drug and non-drug techniques, and provide information and advice to patients, families, carers, and ward teams. We aim to provide a service that is evidence based, safe and effective, giving patients, families and carers the relevant information and advice they need.
We usually see patients who have had major surgery or trauma, but do accept clinical referral for all types of pain.
Information and about us
Our specialist nurses are available Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays), from 8am to 4pm. We cover all areas of the hospital, apart from obstetrics.
We have daily ward rounds, where we review patients who have been referred to our team, and there are two consultant-led rounds each week as well. We provide information for patients, and their families and carers, about their pain management, and we hold two nurses-led sessions in our pain clinic each week.
We also provide formal and informal education for staff to enable them to manage pain effectively, and produce clinical guidelines to assist them. We are involved in reviewing the quality of the pain management at the Trust and we keep updated with relevant research and national guidance in order to promote evidence-based care.
Inpatient referral
The staff on your ward will have a good knowledge of how to help you manage pain, but you can ask them to refer you to us if you have a concern about your pain. If you have an epidural or local anaesthetic infusion, you should automatically be referred to our team and one of us will come and see you (usually the day after your surgery).
Contact us
If you would like to be referred to our team, please discuss this with your GP.
If you are already under the care of a pain consultant at the RD&E, then please discuss this with them.
Where to find us
RD&E Wonford, Barrack Rd, Exeter EX2 5DW
Level 2, Area J
Anaesthetic Department
Pain Management Nurses
Meet the team
Our inpatient pain service is led by a team of specialist nurses. We are part of the multi-disciplinary pain team, and liaise closely with pain consultants, anaesthetic teams, ward teams and other specialist teams.
We have one full-time senior clinical nurse specialist, two full-time clinical nurse specialists, and one part-time clinical nurse specialist. Our consultants are anaesthetists who also specialise in pain management.
We also work closely with the multidisciplinary teams across the hospital.
Services and treatment
TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). Please see the 'Patient leaflets and documents' section below for more information about this.
Patient information leaflets
We produce a wide range of leaflets which provide information about our services and about the treatment you might receive in our clinics or during your stay in hospital.
We also produce these in different formats including large print, please contact the department you are visiting for more information.