The Royal College of Chiropractors CPD Event – Communicating with Patients in Pain: Optimising the Patient Experience

Webinar Outline

Chronic or persistent pain affects a large proportion of the UK population and can be very challenging to manage. It is important that clinicians are able to communicate effectively with their patients, and crucially that patients are heard, understood and validated.

In this webinar, we will explore how clinicians can improve their communication with chronic pain patients. We will hear about real examples of communication between clinicians and chronic pain sufferers, and will look at how using person-centred communication strategies can help optimise patients’ experiences in clinic.

Learning Outcomes

• Develop techniques for having an open discussion with patients in pain
• Recognise language that may be detrimental towards building patient rapport
• Develop core skills to facilitate effective communication in the clinical encounter
• Communicate in an accessible and engaging way to help build a patients’ understanding of their pain experience
• Appreciate how language and other forms of communication can affect a practitioner – patient relationship
• Appreciate the experiences and challenges that chronic pain patients can face when communicating with health care professionals

Speakers – Philippa Oakley MRCC, LRCC (Pain) & Chris Bridgeford

Philippa Oakley MRCC, LRCC (Pain)
Philippa (she/her) is a qualified chiropractor and Certified Coach with ten years’ experience within the NHS and private health sector. Philippa graduated from the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic in 2012 and was awarded the RCC’s prize for best research project for her work into how thoughts and feelings surrounding back pain can impact a patient’s response to care. She began her career working for a group of private clinics with an NHS AQP contract, before completing a PgCert in Professional Development (Chiropractic) with the AECC and receiving the Graham Heale Award for the Outstanding PRT Candidate. Alongside her clinical work, Philippa supports practitioners in developing their communication skills to improve their patient’s experience with care and has a special interest in the impact of inclusive language on outcomes from care for minority groups. Philippa holds a SFEDI Level 5 Diploma in Personal Performance Coaching (Distinction), is a Professional Member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, a registered Coach and Mentor with the NHS Leadership Academy, and is the LGBT+ Development officer for the NHS Rainbow Badges Accreditation Scheme.

Chris Bridgeford
Chris, from the northeast of Scotland, is 63 and is a chronic pain sufferer with a very complex medical history. He was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in 1978, and a diagnosis of Complex Neuropathic Pain Syndrome was made in the early 2000s. It is now clear that he has had life-long chronic pain possibly Fibromyalgia coupled with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. He also suffers from diabetes, cardio and peripheral vascular disease, sleep apnoea, anxiety and depression, Asperger’s, atrial fibrillation and migraines. He had major surgery in 1995 with an aorta-femoral bypass and many subsequent surgeries for incisional hernias. He had a bowel resection in 2004, three transient ischaemic attacks in 2012 and was placed in an induced coma in 2020 with severe serotonin syndrome. Chris took medical retirement from Banking in 1995, and was awarded an Honorary Burgess of The Royal Burgh of Forres for his community work. He is chairman and founder of “Affa Sair” a Scottish Charity whose name translates to “Awfully Sore”. The charity was formed in 2019 after starting out as a Facebook Group in 2015. Affa Sair currently has 650 members and is a member of the Scottish Government’s National Advisory Committee on Chronic Pain.

Chair – Matthew Barks FRCC (Pain)

RCC Members participate free of charge. Refer to your email or contact events@rcc-uk.org to register with your full name and email address.

Non-Members: £35. Please register and pay online here rcc-uk.org/rcc-events

Registration closes: Wednesday 13th July 2022, 10am