A Comparison of Two Self-management Programmes for Patients With Back Pain

This investigation is a mixed methods research proposal to answer the question: 'Does Using the Pain Toolkit Improve Outcomes for Patients accessing the North of England Regional Back Pain Pathway?'. The study is part of a 5 year professional doctorate programme at Teesside University. The aim of the study is to test whether with a double blind randomised controlled trial patients accessing the North of England Regional Back Pain Pathway experience reduced Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) when using the pain toolkit compared to a control group of patients offered the standard treatment. The study also contains a nested qualitative element which aims to explore the participants' experiences of using the Pain Toolkit. According to the British Pain Society (2017), chronic pain management is a significant burden to the National Health Service NHS. Back pain alone accounts for a significant disease burden and loss in productivity among working people (Al Mazroa 2013 and TUC 2008). Commissioners must justify their expenditure on health services to the local population and therefore for an area such as pain management where there is significant disease prevalence (WHO 2013) and significant costs, potential service developments should be considered. The development of the pain toolkit (Pain Toolkit 2017a) as a straightforward, easy to use self-management option offers a potentially cost effective support mechanism for patients but as yet there is no evidence to support its use in clinical practice. This study aims to fill that knowledge gap.