Research User Group Newsletter Keele University RUG Spring / Summer edition | Page 5

Pain Strategy Workshop
R
Arthritis Research UK 
UG member Anne Worrall and PPIE team
member Carol Rhodes went down to  London
in February to attend a pain strategy workshop. The
event was attended by a diverse range of
stakeholders,  including  people  with  arthritis,
 academics,  clinicians,  other  research  funders and
charity organisations such as Pain UK. The aim was
to facilitate an open, interactive workshop driven by
the needs of people with arthritis to identify
priorities within the area of pain, a topic Arthritis
Research UK (ARUK) is currently focusing on along
with fatigue. Anne said that she enjoyed being part
of the workshop and that it was reassuring to know
that the neglected area of pain is now a priority of
arthritis research.
There were eight challenge areas: 
1. Understanding how pain works and how this
understanding can benefit patients; 
2. Beyond randomised controlled trial: new ways of
getting evidence; 
3. Use of access of currently available and effective
treatments for musculoskeletal pain;

4. Breaking down barriers to deliver integrated, and
innovative musculoskeletal pain research;
5. Self management strategies for chronic
musculoskeletal pain;
6. Understanding the impacts and relationships
between musculoskeletal pain and other conditions;
7. Giving people living with musculoskeletal pain the
recognition they deserve; 
8. Building a research active academic, clinical and
health care workforce to deliver change for people
with musculoskeletal pain.
The Latest News from 
INVOLVE

T
he NIHR has launched a striking new
campaign urging patients and the public to 
get actively involved in health and social care
research. Featuring an iconic split face image,
the #twosides campaign highlights ways for
people who aren’t medical or academic
professionals to make their voices heard. The
campaign lets people know about opportunities
to share patient and carer experiences and
ideas for making a difference to the health and
wellbeing of families, friends, colleagues and
communities.
Simon Denegri, NIHR National Director for
Patients and the Public and Chair of INVOLVE
said: "I am delighted to see the NIHR adopt this
impactful and innovative new poster campaign.
I hope that NIHR colleagues and our NHS,
charity and other partners will display these
striking posters in public spaces and at events
and meetings to raise awareness about the big
part played by the public in making world-class
research happen.”
#twosides
PPIE NEWS
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