The acute pain service was established in 1990 and was one of the first in the UK.

We provide support and advice in the management of acute pain for inpatients. This includes:

• Management of patient controlled analgesia, epidural analgesia and local anaesthetic nerve and wound catheters.
• Management of acute pain due to trauma, pancreatitis and other conditions.
• Advice regarding prescribing for acute pain.

The team consists of 2 consultant anaesthetists and 6 specialist nurses split between York and Scarborough hospitals.

If you are undergoing elective surgery you will receive information about postoperative pain relief at the pre assessment clinic. You will have a further opportunity to discuss pain relief with the anaesthetist on the day of your operation.

The management of your pain will depend on many factors including type of operation, your medical history and previous experiences.

Our aim is to help you manage and feel in control of your pain so that you can sleep and rest, breathe, cough and move effectively. This will help to reduce complications and shorten your stay in hospital. It may not always be possible to relieve pain fully but the team will help to reduce pain to an acceptable level to facilitate your recovery.

The team also provide formal education for all levels of nursing and medical staff. The service undergoes continual audit to monitor practice and provide evidence based care.