Victoria Abbott-Fleming steps down as Chair of the British Pain Society's Expert Patient and Carer Committee (EPCC) after six years of transformation
11th Jun 2026
As Victoria Abbott-Fleming concludes her six-year term as Chair of the Expert Patient and Carer Committee (EPCC), the British Pain Society reflects on a period of transformational change that has seen patient and carer voices become increasingly embedded throughout the organisation.
Speaking at the Society's Annual General Meeting, Victoria reflected on six years dedicated to ensuring that the voices of people living with pain and their carers are embedded throughout the work of the British Pain Society.
"When I first became Chair, I believed passionately that lived experience should not sit on the sidelines of the British Pain Society," said Victoria. "It should not be an afterthought or something consulted occasionally. It needed to be embedded throughout the Society and throughout the way we think about pain care itself."
Under Victoria's leadership, the committee evolved from the Patient Voice Committee into the Expert Patient and Carer Committee (EPCC), a change that reflected a broader vision of partnership between people with lived experience and healthcare professionals.
A key focus of Victoria's tenure was strengthening the evidence base around patient experiences of pain care. During this time, the committee led several major national surveys designed to ensure that the voices of people living with chronic pain and carers were heard in discussions about services, treatment, and policy.
A national survey undertaken in response to the NICE Chronic Primary Pain Guidelines received more than 1,000 responses from across the UK. This was followed by the 2022 Patient Survey, which gathered almost 900 responses and explored referral pathways, waiting times, access to services, diagnosis, pain management programmes and community support.
The committee subsequently undertook a medicines-focused survey involving more than 400 respondents, examining experiences of pain medication, reviews and side effects. Findings from these surveys attracted national attention, including coverage by Channel 5, helping bring the realities of living with chronic pain into wider public discussion.
Alongside this work, Victoria oversaw the redevelopment of the Society's Understanding and Managing Pain resource, expansion of patient-focused communications, increased social media engagement and contributions to national awareness campaigns.
One of the most significant achievements of her tenure was the transformation of the Patient Reference Group into the Lived Experience Collective (LEC). Through new recruitment processes, communications systems and engagement opportunities, the LEC has enabled many more people living with pain and carers to contribute to research, media activity and wider Society initiatives.
Victoria also championed the integration of lived experience throughout the Society, with patient and carer representatives now contributing across many of the British Pain Society committees and Special Interest Groups, helping ensure that lived experience informs planning, strategy and decision-making.
Victoria's impact extended well beyond the work of the EPCC. As a co-opted member of the British Pain Society Council, she brought the voice of lived experience directly into the Society's leadership and governance structures. She also played a key role in shaping the Society's strategic direction, helping to ensure that patient and carer perspectives became embedded within its vision, priorities and future ambitions. Through her work at both committee and Council level, Victoria has been a driving force behind a cultural shift within the Society - one that recognises lived experience as a vital form of expertise and an essential partner in improving outcomes for people living with pain.
The committee further expanded its work with veterans living with chronic pain during Victoria's tenure, including the creation of a Veterans Champion role. This helped strengthen engagement with military charities, veteran organisations, and policymakers, ensuring that the experiences of veterans living with chronic pain became part of wider discussions around pain care and support.
Reflecting on her time as Chair, Victoria paid tribute to the many committee members, healthcare professionals, volunteers and Society staff who contributed to the committee's success.
"None of these achievements happened because of one person," she said. "They happened because healthcare professionals and people with lived experience worked together with a shared aim of improving the lives of people living with pain."
Victoria also took the opportunity to remember colleague and friend Dr Helen Bolter, whose contribution to the committee and wider pain community continues to be fondly remembered following her passing in 2023.
As Victoria steps down, Tim Atkinson takes over as Chair of the Expert Patient and Carer Committee. Having served as Vice Chair, Tim has played a key role in supporting the committee's work and will lead its next chapter of development.
To support a smooth transition, Victoria will remain involved with the committee over the coming year as Immediate Past Chair, providing continuity and support during the handover period.
The Society also welcomed six new committee members following the AGM: Gareth Gault, Kate Anderson, Chloe Piper, Suzie Almond, Lynn Putwain and Nadeem Khan.
Closing her final address as Chair, Victoria reflected on the enduring importance of listening to people living with pain.
"Pain changes lives. But being listened to, being believed, and being included can also change lives. The work of the EPCC has always been about ensuring that people living with pain and those who care for them are not simply spoken about, but spoken with."
The British Pain Society thanks Victoria Abbott-Fleming for her outstanding leadership, commitment, and contribution to strengthening the role of lived experience within pain care and across the Society. Her legacy will continue to shape the Society's work for years to come, ensuring that the voices of patients and carers remain central to improving outcomes for everyone affected by pain.
About Victoria Abbott-Fleming MBE
Victoria Abbott-Fleming MBE is Founder and Chair of Trustees of Burning Nights CRPS Support, a national charity supporting people affected by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). A trained Barrister, award-winning patient advocate and person living with CRPS, Victoria has dedicated more than a decade to raising awareness of chronic pain conditions, improving patient support services and championing the role of lived experience within healthcare. She was awarded an MBE in 2021 for services to charity and CRPS awareness and has served as Chair of the British Pain Society's Expert Patient and Carer Committee (EPCC), as well as a co-opted member of Council.