Patient Liaison Committee

The Patient Liaison Committee was created in 2001 to act in an advisory capacity to Council of the British Pain Society, ensuring that the views of patients are represented within the Society. The role of the committee is to respond to requests for comments from Council and its committees, to consider the provision of information for patients about pain and pain management services, to consider means of improving communication between patients and professionals and to encourage patients to be better informed and involved in decisions about their care. The committee also works to improve patient information within the Society and at least one member of the committee is invited to sit on each publication working party.

The main aim of the committee is to bring patients and professionals closer together, to ensure that there is a patient voice within the British Pain Society, to advise on areas of service improvement and patient liaison and education. The committee also raises the profile of pain within the public, professional and public agenda. The PLC keeps in touch with a range of voluntary organisations concerned with pain, and has held three seminars bringing these organisations together to look at common issues.

The Patient Liaison Committee is made up of 7 members, 3 healthcare professionals and 4 lay members. The Chairman is appointed by Council of the British Pain Society and must be a lay member; the chair is a co-opted member of Council.

LAY CHAIRMAN VACANCY - PATIENT LIAISON COMMITTEE

Do you know any patients or contacts who might make a good Chair for the Patient Liaison Committee?

We are looking for a new Chair for our Patient Liaison Committee. The suitable applicant will be a lay person and must have an interest in the NHS and in how to make sure people get the best care from the health service, particularly people living with pain. Experience of living with pain or of a voluntary sector organisation linked to pain would be useful.

Applicants must be available to Chair the committee meetings and attend council meetings within London for a minimum of eight days per year. The British Pain Society will reimburse travel costs.

Interviews will be held at the British Pain Society Secretariat, London.

Closing Date for Applications: 5pm, 31st August 2010

For an application pack please contact Rikke Susgaard-Vigon, Communications Officer on
0207 269 7840 or email: rsusgaardvigon@britishpainsociety.org

Annual Voluntary Seminars

Each year the PLC hosts a one day seminar for voluntary organisations on various topics to co-incide with the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Global Year on Pain theme. Previous seminars have focused on:

• 2009 - Living Well Despite Pain
  Click here to view the report from this seminar
  
  
• 2008 - Pain & Physical Disability in Adults
  Click here to view the report from this seminar
  
  
• 2007 - Pain in Women
  
  
• 2006 - The forgotten majority: Pain in the older person
  
  
• 2005 - The Pain Cookbook: Recipes for More Effective Pain Management for People Living with Persistent Pain