Pain Speak

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Health starts in communities, not just hospitals.

In todays epsiode, I  explore innovative social prescribing approaches with Sandra Mitchell-Phillips, CEO of Ways to Wellness, focusing on neighborhood health, reducing health inequalities, and supporting preoperative care to improve outcomes and reduce NHS costs. Ways 2 wellness works predominantly in the North East of the UK witha  number of projects that bring social prescribing into primary care and secondary care. 

Chapters

00:00 Rethinking Healthcare: Beyond Hospitals
03:10 Sandra's Journey: Bridging NHS and Community Care
05:55 The Birth of Ways to Wellness: A Community-Centric Approach
08:53 Measuring Impact: Social Prescribing in Action
11:57 Non-Medical Interventions: The Role of Social Prescribers
14:56 Misconceptions of the Voluntary Sector in Healthcare
18:09 Tackling Health Inequalities: A Community Focus
20:44 Co-Production and Relational Care: A New Paradigm
23:51 Supporting Chronic Pain: A Holistic Approach
26:47 Transforming Lives: The Power of Community Support
35:04 Navigating Support Duration in Healthcare
37:38 The Importance of Listening in Patient Care
40:16 Introducing the PROSPER Program
46:40 Reducing Opioid Use Before Surgery
52:20 The Journey of Waiting Well
55:57 The Future of Neighborhood Health
01:02:44 Redesigning Healthcare for Human Well-Being

 keywords

social prescribing, neighborhood health, health inequalities, preoperative care, community health, NHS innovation, chronic pain, opioid reduction, holistic care, health inequalities

Resources

Ways to Wellness - https://www.waystowellness.org.uk
NHS Long Term Plan - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/
Social Prescribing Network - https://www.socialprescribingnetwork.com
Wellbeing Star Tool - https://triangleconsulting.co.uk/wellbeing-star/
Chronic Pain Management Resources - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-pain/
Prosper Program Details - https://www.waystowellness.org.uk/prosper

Guest links

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandramitchellphillips
Website - https://www.waystowellness.org.uk

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for education and general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you are experiencing ongoing pain or distress, please consult your healthcare professional. 
Please provide a feedback and comments on the podcast and any questions that you may have.

If you enjoyed it please rate and leave a review on Spotify/Apple podcasts and tell a friend about this show.

The Pain Speak podcast is presented by Prof Deepak Ravindran, a NHS Consultant specialising in Pain and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr Ravindran is also the author of the book, 'The Pain Free Mindset'

Get in touch:
Twitter: @deepakravindra5
Instagram: drdeepakravindran
Website: www.deepakravindran.co.uk
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/DrDeepakRavindran
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drdeepakravindran5361
For Clinical Queries and consultations, please go to Berkshire Pain Clinic

Order a copy of the Pain Free Mindset here

For Season 1 and 3:
Mixed and edited by Rob Cao at...

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Pain medicine is at a crossroads.
Summary

In this episode, Dr. Ganesan Baranidharan, Consultant in Pain Medicine and Dean of the Faculty of Pain Medicine,  discusses the future of pain medicine, neuromodulation, and the evolving role of specialists in the UK. He shares insights on service development, patient selection, technological advances, and the importance of multidisciplinary care. 
In this insightful interview in the role as a Dean, Dr. Ganesan Baranidharan discusses the evolving landscape of pain medicine, emphasizing the importance of credentialing, registries, big data, and the integration of technology and multidisciplinary approaches to improve patient outcomes. He shares his vision for the future pain specialist and the role of AI, training pathways, and national reforms.
 keywords

Pain Medicine, Neuromodulation, Healthcare Innovation, UK, Patient Care, Medical Training, Future of Pain Management Pain Medicine, Credentialing, Registries, Big Data, AI, Training, Multidisciplinary, Future of Pain Care, Healthcare Innovation, UK Healthcare
Chapters

00:00 The Current State of Pain Medicine
02:45 The Evolution of Pain Management
05:49 The Rise of Neuromodulation
08:42 Innovations in Neuromodulation Techniques
12:05 Challenges in Accessing Pain Treatments
15:09 The Role of Education in Pain Management
17:59 Developing Effective Patient Selection Tools
21:03 The Future of Pain Medicine
23:55 The Role of the Faculty of Pain Medicine
26:53 Community vs. Tertiary Care in Pain Management
29:41 The Importance of Training and Recruitment
33:05 Vision for the Future of Pain Medicine
46:04 Understanding Chronic Pain and Its Management
49:23 The Evolution of Pain Medicine as a Specialty
53:55 Training Future Pain Specialists
56:43 The Role of Data and Registries in Pain Medicine
01:01:44 Improving Patient Care Through Collaboration
01:06:25 The Future of Pain Management and Innovations
01:12:12 The Importance of Big Data in Pain Medicine
01:19:03 Challenges in Pain Management and Patient Selection
01:25:37 The Human Element in Pain Medicine

 Resources

Royal College of Anesthetists - https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/
Faculty of Pain Medicine, Royal College of Anesthetists - https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/faculty-of-pain-medicine
Neuromodulation Registry UK - https://neuromodulationregistry.uk/
Dr. Ganesan Barneedaran's Publications - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Ganesan+Barneedaran
GIRFT Program (Getting It Right First Time) - https://www.england.nhs.uk/girft/
British Spine Registry - https://www.britishspine.org/registry
MHRA Device Safety Regulations - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency
Big Data in Healthcare - NHS Digital - https://digital.nhs.uk/

Guest links

Twitter - https://twitter.com/DrGBaranidharan
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ganesan-baranidharan/

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for education and general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you are experiencing ongoing pain or distress, please consult your healthcare professional. 
Please provide a feedback and comments on the podcast and any questions that you may have.

If you enjoyed it please rate and leave a review on Spotify/Apple podcasts and tell a friend about this show.

The Pain Speak podcast is presented by Prof Deepak Ravindran, a NHS Consultant specialising in Pain and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr Ravindran is also the author of the book, 'The Pain Free Mindset'

Get in touch:
Twitter: @deepakravindra5
Instagram: drdeepakravindran
Website: www.deepakravindran.co.uk
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/DrDeepakRavindran
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drdeepakravindran5361
For Clinical Queries and consultations, please go to Berkshire Pain Clinic

Order a copy of the Pain Free Mindset here

For Season 1 and 3:
Mixed and edited by Rob Cao at...

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Arriving and touring in the UK - Manchester June 3rd to 5th, 2026 as part of NOIgroup.
Today’s guest is someone who needs no introduction to the world of Pain Care. He has been one of my biggest influences in how I teach pain Science education so a big welcome to Professor Lorimer Moseley, Bradley Distinguished Professor at Adelaide University in Australia. He has authored over 430 scientific papers, written several bestselling pain books, and his educational work reaches millions of people each year through healthcare systems such as the NHS and the US Veterans Affairs.
He is also the founder of Pain Revolution, an initiative aimed at transforming pain understanding in communities, and in 2020 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contribution to humanity through pain science, communication and education.
In this insightful interview, Professor Lorimer Mosley discusses the evolution of pain education, the importance of understanding pain as a protective system, and innovative approaches like pain science education, community engagement, and digital tools to transform pain management.
keywords

pain education, pain science, community health, pain revolution, pain management, health equity, public health, VR in pain education, bioplasticity, pain research
key topics

Evolution of pain education from neuroscience to constructivist models
The role of enjoyment and engagement in pain science communication
Community co-design and culturally powerful pain interventions
The importance of social determinants and health equity in pain research
Emerging digital tools like VR and AI in pain education and management
 Resources

Pain Revolution - https://painrevolution.org/
Explain Pain Book by Lorimer Moseley and David Butler - https://www.amazon.com/Explain-Pain-Lorimer-Moseley/dp/0975096744
Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) Resources - https://painrevolution.org/resources/
PEDAL Collaboration for Pain Education - https://pedalcollaboration.org/
Reality Health VR Platform - https://realityhealth.com/

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for education and general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you are experiencing ongoing pain or distress, please consult your healthcare professional. 
Please provide a feedback and comments on the podcast and any questions that you may have.

If you enjoyed it please rate and leave a review on Spotify/Apple podcasts and tell a friend about this show.

The Pain Speak podcast is presented by Prof Deepak Ravindran, a NHS Consultant specialising in Pain and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr Ravindran is also the author of the book, 'The Pain Free Mindset'

Get in touch:
Twitter: @deepakravindra5
Instagram: drdeepakravindran
Website: www.deepakravindran.co.uk
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/DrDeepakRavindran
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drdeepakravindran5361
For Clinical Queries and consultations, please go to Berkshire Pain Clinic

Order a copy of the Pain Free Mindset here

For Season 1 and 3:
Mixed and edited by Rob Cao at...

Send us Fan Mail
My guest today is Dr Helen Makins, a Consultant in Pain Medicine at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK and someone whose career has taken her across clinical practice, education, commissioning, global health and now national leadership.

Helen is currently the National Clinical Lead for the Chronic Pain Programme at GIRFT – Getting It Right First Time, a major NHS initiative focused on improving clinical outcomes, reducing variation and redesigning services across the country.
But what makes Helen particularly interesting is the breadth of her work — from teaching pain education internationally with Mercy Ships, to developing innovative social prescribing programmes for young people with pain, to exploring the links between neurodiversity, childhood experiences and chronic pain.

She has also worked closely with the Faculty of Pain Medicine, championing better communication skills, clinician wellbeing and the integration of biopsychosocial approaches into training.

So today we’re going to explore:
• how someone ends up leading national pain transformation work
• what GIRFT might mean for the future of pain services
• why communication and de-medicalisation matter so much in pain consultations
• and how we might better support both patients and clinicians in this space.

keywords

Pain management, NHS, chronic pain, social prescribing, communication skills, lifestyle medicine, neurodiversity, healthcare commissioning, GIRFT, patient-centered care
key topics

Evolution of NHS pain services
Importance of communication skills in pain management
Role of social prescribing and lifestyle medicine
Impact of neurodiversity on chronic pain
GIRFT program and healthcare commissioning
 resources

GIRFT website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/girft/
Stephen Rolnick's Motivational Interviewing Course - https://www.motivationalinterviewing.org/
Essential Pain Management Program - https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/faculty-of-pain-medicine/education/essential-pain-management
Helen Makins' LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenmakins/

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for education and general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you are experiencing ongoing pain or distress, please consult your healthcare professional. 
Please provide a feedback and comments on the podcast and any questions that you may have.

If you enjoyed it please rate and leave a review on Spotify/Apple podcasts and tell a friend about this show.

The Pain Speak podcast is presented by Prof Deepak Ravindran, a NHS Consultant specialising in Pain and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr Ravindran is also the author of the book, 'The Pain Free Mindset'

Get in touch:
Twitter: @deepakravindra5
Instagram: drdeepakravindran
Website: www.deepakravindran.co.uk
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/DrDeepakRavindran
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drdeepakravindran5361
For Clinical Queries and consultations, please go to Berkshire Pain Clinic

Order a copy of the Pain Free Mindset here

For Season 1 and 3:
Mixed and edited by Rob Cao at...

Send us Fan Mail
 In March 2026, I attended the Live well with Pain Conference at Warwick organised by Emma Davies and Laura Hussey. It had some amazing speakers including Prof Roger Knaggs, the President of the British Pain Society. While I didnt get a chance to speak to him, I did speak to most of the other key note speakers and I thought what would they say to 3 questions I had about pain care and the hope that they have when they do the work. This episode is my reflection on the Live Well With Pain Conference, exploring innovative approaches to pain management, the importance of holistic care, and the hope for living well with persistent pain.
keywords

pain management, chronic pain, holistic care, patient empowerment, healthcare innovation, pain education, biopsychosocial model, community support, health coaching, pain recovery
key topics

Shift from cure to living well with pain
Biopsychosocial model and holistic care
Role of community and primary care in pain management
Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Conference and Deepak's Reflection
02:08 Unique Aspects of the Live Well With Pain Conference
04:06 The Human Experience of Pain and Its Impact
06:02 Challenges in Persistent Pain Management
07:52 The Power of Education and Self-Management
10:14 Aligning Healthcare with Patient Needs
12:10 Population Health and Proactive Care
14:00 Broadening Support Beyond Medical Treatments
16:02 Insights from Keynote Speakers
17:53 The Role of Hope and Empowerment
20:05 Sleep, Lifestyle, and Pain Management
22:05 The Importance of Community and Primary Care
24:07 The Value of Validation and Listening
26:03 Shifting Mindsets and Moving Forward
27:55 The Power of Curiosity and Change
29:49 The Role of Coaching and Community Support
32:07 The Bright Future of Pain Care
33:58 Inspiring Hope and Collective Action
35:55 Conclusion: A Call to Action and Resources

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for education and general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you are experiencing ongoing pain or distress, please consult your healthcare professional. 
Please provide a feedback and comments on the podcast and any questions that you may have.

If you enjoyed it please rate and leave a review on Spotify/Apple podcasts and tell a friend about this show.

The Pain Speak podcast is presented by Prof Deepak Ravindran, a NHS Consultant specialising in Pain and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr Ravindran is also the author of the book, 'The Pain Free Mindset'

Get in touch:
Twitter: @deepakravindra5
Instagram: drdeepakravindran
Website: www.deepakravindran.co.uk
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/DrDeepakRavindran
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drdeepakravindran5361
For Clinical Queries and consultations, please go to Berkshire Pain Clinic

Order a copy of the Pain Free Mindset here

For Season 1 and 3:
Mixed and edited by Rob Cao at...