Specialist Interest Area (SIA): Pain Medicine
The Special Interest Area (SIA) in Pain Medicine at the Royal United Hospital (RUH), Bath, provides six months of full-time equivalent training, followed by a further six months at North Bristol Trust (NBT). At RUH, trainees gain broad exposure across local secondary care pain clinics and nationally commissioned services, including the UK's only residential CRPS rehabilitation service, the Bath Centre for Pain Services (BCPS) for adults, young people and children, and the Complex Cancer Late Effects Rehabilitation Service (CCLERS).
SIA in Pain Medicine – RUH Bath
- Duration:
- 6 months full-time equivalent at RUH
- Followed by 6 months at North Bristol Trust (NBT)
- Service Exposure at RUH:
- Local Pain Clinic – secondary care MDT clinics with interventions, assessments, medication reviews, pain psychology and physiotherapy.
- National CRPS Service – assessment and rehabilitation using Cognitive Multisensory Rehabilitation model.
- Bath Centre for Pain Services (BCPS) – nationally commissioned inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programmes for adults, young people, and children.
- Complex Cancer Late Effects Rehabilitation Service (CCLERS) – nationally commissioned pain and functional rehabilitation for patients following cancer treatment.
- Educational Opportunities:
- Supervised pain intervention lists and clinics.
- Attendance at MDT assessments (pain psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing).
- Exposure to paediatric pain assessments, cancer pain, rheumatology, neurology (headache), pelvic pain (endometriosis, vulvodynia), and palliative care.
- Involvement in service improvement or research projects.
- Opportunity to prepare for the FFPMRCA exam during the placement.
- Regular meetings: Local and national MDT, Pain/Palliative Care MDT
- Assessment & Documentation:
- Expected workplace-based assessments (A-CEX, CBD, DOPS, MSF).
- Quarterly meetings with Educational Supervisor.
- Case and intervention logging via the FPM logbook.
SIA unit lead – Dr Paul Watson